Dark Temptations
by lostmoonchild
Summary: He had known from the beginning that she was his and he was hers.  He just hadn't expected to be faced against someone he thought was once his best friend.
1. Chapter 1

lostmoonchild: I'm baaack with another Naruto fic! I haven't decided if Naruto's gonna hook up with anybody just yet but we'll see as the story progresses. Um, hope you guys enjoy and don't get too upset at what my evil muse has cooked up inside my head this time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue please!

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><p>Chapter One<p>

In this darkness only death was certain. Sooner or later the bad man would take the life of whomever he seemed unfit to continue existing. Questions were pointless. Questions provided only pain. To ask questions was to ask to be hit or worse. Sometimes asking questions would result in death.

It all depended on his mood what would happen if he was questioned. Everything depended on his whim.

Gray eyes stared listlessly ahead as the tiny child's chest rose and fell in shallow gasps. Somebody was moving outside the room and was currently trying to open the door that was already known to be locked. Clearly the person outside the door had figured it out and was currently working on picking the lock.

The small child turned away from the sudden light as the door was thrown open and stared at the man that stood in the doorway. He stepped back as if overwhelmed by the smell that had long ago stopped mattering to the child. Punishment would come even if the room was clean but still they had tried so hard.

The man stared at her for a moment, his entire demeanor radiating shock. "Hey! There's somebody here still!" The man called to somebody as he entered the room. "Kid? Hey, kid, say something."

Gray eyes stared into the brightest blue eyes ever seen before closing tightly as he knelt next to her. The sound of a zipper coming undone reached the child's ears, sending waves of petrifying fear through their body. "Easy, easy. No one's gonna hurt you." The man helped the child sit up, his body cringing slightly at the touch of grime against his skin before he helped the child's thin arms through the sleeves of his jacket. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. What's yours?"

The child didn't reply as their head dropped to the side before slowly blinking as the man, no… Naruto… pulled something from his pocket and held it to the child's lips. "Drink up." Naruto said patiently.

The water was cool and fresh, tasting better than what the child had been given before. When he pulled the canteen from the child's lips, he pulled something else out of his pocket before gently pushing it past thin lips. "Here, I was gonna eat this later but you need it a lot more than I do. Just don't tell Sakura that I gave you candy before a decent meal, okay? She'd kick my butt and pound me into the ground if she couldn't pound me into a tree."

The child didn't know who this Sakura person was and as the sweetness lit up the child's taste buds, it didn't matter. "Okay, we're gonna go now. No one's left here in this dump so I'm gonna take you with me." Naruto gave a tender smile that held understanding. "I'm gonna make everything okay now. Believe it."

What was this guy? Why was he being nice? Nobody was ever nice unless they wanted something and she had nothing to give him. "What's your name?" Naruto asked, waiting for a minute before frowning slightly in thought. "Well, I'm gonna give you a name to go by until we figure out what your name is. Is that okay? It probably won't be permanent but it'll be better than just being called 'it' or something. How about Hisoka? It means 'secret' so I hope that's okay."

Naruto knew he was rambling but the child seemed to be relaxing more when he spoke. He didn't know why he had chosen to check in that one room but he knew upon seeing the child lying so lifelessly on the floor that he couldn't turn away. Sakura needed to see the child in his arms and they needed to do whatever they could to help the child move away from death's door.

There was so much grime on the child that he couldn't tell if the child was a boy or a girl. Choosing a unisex name had been the safer bet and now that there was something to call the child in his arms, he felt it would be easier. As he looked at the child that lay in his arms, he knew that he had just accepted some great challenge.

Soft words left his lips as he spoke to Hisoka about whatever crossed his mind. He told the child about his teammates and smiled when thin fingers lightly gripped the too large jacket. "Naruto! Who's that?" Sakura questioned when the blonde caught up to them.

"This is Hisoka." Naruto told the group as he adjusted the child in his arms. "Hisoka, these are the people I was telling you about."

They watched the child's head bob slightly as they tried to turn their head towards them. Kakashi felt a sharp pain of sympathy as he stared at the child's gaunt face and knew that if the child survived then it'd be nothing short of a miracle. If the child's breathing was anything to go by, the child wouldn't make it through the night. "Let's get moving. Sakura can look over the child when we stop." Kakashi told them.

Naruto nodded slightly as he adjusted the child in his arms before they darted out of Orochimaru's hideout. He could feel Hisoka stiffen in his arms and touched the dark, matted hair before murmuring soft words of comfort knowing that everybody was listening. "Don't worry, Hisoka." Naruto said softly. "You'll be okay. I'm not gonna let that snake bastard get his hands on you again."

When they were a safe distance from the snake-nin's hideout, they stopped so the child could get cleaned up and checked over. Sakura tenderly took the child in her arms, making a face when the child began grabbing at Naruto's shirt with a look of pure desperation. "Naruto, will you come too?" Sakura questioned. "Something tells me that Hisoka isn't going to let me do anything unless you're with us."

Naruto nodded as he took Hisoka back into his arms and laughed softly when the small child nestled against him. For something so small and weak there was a strength within the child's small frame that just spoke volumes. "Bath time." Naruto said cheerfully in an attempt to soothe the sudden anxiety that appeared in Hisoka's eyes.

Kakashi resisted the urge to cover his eye as he watched Naruto bounce around with the child in his arms, chanting "bath time" in various tones of excitement. "Naruto! You're gonna make the poor kid sick." Sakura scolded.

He couldn't explain how he knew but Naruto had the feeling that Hisoka was giggling. "But, Sakura-chaaan." Naruto said with a laughing tone. "Hisoka's loving this!"

They were so different than Orochimaru and his followers that it was hard not to like him. However Hisoka wasn't entirely sure about the silver-haired man or even the eerily pale raven that hadn't said a word since they had all met up. The pink-haired woman was okay but Naruto was by far the favorite person. "Just get Hisoka cleaned up, Naruto." Kakashi sighed.

With renewed chants of "bath time" leaving his lips, Naruto jumped with the child in his arms towards the nearest water source.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

There was a patience in the blonde's actions that was surprising to see, especially upon discovering that Hisoka was a girl. Naruto's movements were careful as he scrubbed the grime away from her dangerously thin frame, his voice gentle as he spoke to her. It was rather impressive how patient he was being with the girl when they all knew that patience was not one of his strengths. "You'll just have to wear my jacket until we get you something nicer to wear that's more your size." Naruto said as he put the jacket back on the little girl.

Sai's dark eyes watched the child with mild interest, watching as several short gasps left her lips. He could see the confusion and distrust as well as something else. Did she want to trust them? Trust wasn't something that a shinobi issued very well other than having faith that their teammates wouldn't do anything to get them killed.

He moved slightly towards the child and watched as the child's eyes grew empty, the short gasps never quickening or slowing. "Sai, step back." Kakashi told the younger man.

Sakura was silent as she checked over Hisoka, frowning when she felt the child's uneven heartbeats. She didn't want to say the odds of the Hisoka's survival and a single glance at Kakashi revealed that he was already aware of the child's odds. As her examination continued, Sakura found herself wondering how exactly the little girl had survived for so long. Malnutrition, dehydration, multiple injuries that were both external and internal… by all rights she should have been dead. Sakura just couldn't bring herself to finish what else the girl had gone through within the time she spent as Orochimaru's prisoner.

The pinkette watched silently as Naruto carefully fed her small bits of food, talking softly to her and making a point to show her that the food wasn't poisoned when she refused. "Good job, Hisoka." Naruto said with a bright smile as he brushed Hisoka's soft bangs from her forehead. "Keep eating like that and you'll get stronger in no time."

Hisoka's eyes grew unfocused as a yawn left her lips, her eyelids beginning to droop. She still wasn't entirely sure what was going on but surely they couldn't be planning anything terrible if they were trying to make her stronger. "She's tired, Naruto." Kakashi told the blonde.

"Oh yeah! Here, you can sleep in my sleeping bag. It'll be a lot more comfortable than anything else and a hell of a lot warmer."

No sooner had he tucked her into the warm bedding, Hisoka fell into a dreamless sleep.

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><p>lostmoonchild: And there's chapter one. I'll be posting the next chapter next week so there's something to look forward to at least. Read and review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! Yeah, I know the grammer was messed up in the first chapter so I'm going to eventually get around to going over it to fix the mistakes. I would like, however, to say that I hate my muse for the creation of this story but I see so many possibilities for the future of this story that I can't hate my dear muse forever. So anyway, here's chapter two!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

They hadn't expected Hisoka to make it through the night and as soon as dawn broke over the horizon, the group had taken off with the little girl nestled comfortably in Naruto's arms, her breaths still coming in short gasps. The bit of food that she had eaten the night before had clearly helped her although Sakura was still nervous. There was no way that the girl should have been able to survive considering how weak and young she was.

The medic-nin was absolutely certain that there was still something else wrong with Hisoka but tests would need to be run before she could receive any medicines. Sakura knew that she was doing all that she could for the girl but only when Naruto held her was anybody even able to get near her when conscious. If Naruto wasn't holding her or if she was left alone with them for any amount of time then the little girl began to hyperventilate until Naruto's large hands touched her own tiny hands or even her arms.

It was almost as if the blonde was the answer to some unspoken prayer of hers.

Green eyes flickered to the barely conscious child in Naruto's arms; seeing that she was looking around the best she could with her head against the blonde's chest. "Naruto, I want to get Hisoka's blood pressure." Sakura called.

Immediately the group stopped and Naruto spoke softly to the dark-haired girl as Sakura felt her pulse. Slightly elevated and still a little irregular but it was a far cry better than what it had been the night before. "So?" Naruto questioned.

"Her heart seems to be settling back into a normal beat or at least attempting to." Sakura reported before smiling brightly at Hisoka. "You're getting better."

Hisoka remained silent as she stared blankly at Sakura before looking at Naruto as if silently asking if she was lying. Seeing no signs that he thought there were any lies, Hisoka closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Panic filled Naruto as he ran as fast as he could with the deathly pale girl in his arms. He didn't know what had happened. One minute she had been fine and then the next she had fallen unconscious, her breaths dangerously weak and her heart beginning to hesitate in its beats even more than it had before.

It had been almost four days since he had found her and he had let himself believe that she was getting stronger. She was eating more and becoming more responsive instead of just letting her head flop forward or backward to look at people. Hisoka had been gaining strength and when he had tried to wake her up for breakfast it was clear that something was wrong when he saw the bluish tint to her lips that stood out against her deathly pale skin.

Without thinking, he had gathered the child up into his arms and started running, refusing to stop for anything. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong or hadn't done enough to help. Had he rescued her too late and she was going to die in his arms? "Don't die on me, Hisoka. Please don't die." Naruto said softly as he ran through the gates and towards the hospital.

The blonde had barely burst through the hospital doors before he began shouting for a nurse. "What happened?" One of the medics asked as Hisoka was taken to the emergency room.

"I don't know. She was fine last night but when I went to wake her up this morning, she looked like that." Naruto said quickly. "Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, Sai, and I were all on a mission when I found her about four days ago. We thought she was getting better."

"What's her name?"

"Hisoka. No last name."

"Age?"

"I don't know. Five?"

Seeing immediately that he was going to be of no real help, the medic turned and left him standing alone in the hall with anxiety showing on his whiskered face.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

There was just something wrong with seeing a child lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to all sorts of machines. There was even something worse with seeing that same child lying in an induced coma so her body could recover. Even after being a medic for years it was just a sight that Tsunade despised seeing with a passion. What made it worse was how Naruto was sitting diligently next to the bed, reading some child's book to the unconscious girl.

The woman watched the scene before her without saying a word, her eyes tender as she realized that the young man cared for the little girl. According to Kakashi, it had been Naruto that had found and named the girl. It was also Naruto that had been making sure she was taken care of and kept calm when Sakura had to give the little girl checkups. In a sense, the blonde had become a parent and probably hadn't realized it. "It's late, gaki." Tsunade stated as she went into the room to check Hisoka's vitals.

"So shouldn't you be getting your beauty rest?" Naruto questioned before muttering, "Not that it's working anyway."

She ignored the barb in favor of checking over the incision that went down the girl's abdomen. "Kakashi says that you've been working like hell to make sure she's comfortable." Tsunade commented. "Making sure she eats and gets plenty to drink."

Blue eyes stared at the fragile looking child; worry gripping his heart as he watched the small jerks that came with each desperate breath that Hisoka took. "There's a reason she had surgery… isn't there?" Naruto questioned softly.

Tsunade hesitated a moment before responding, "Yes."

"What is it?"

"Naruto, I don't think-"

"Baa-chan! I'm gonna take care of her no matter what those old bastards say. She isn't going to stand a chance if I'm not the one taking care of her." There was desperation in Naruto's eyes. "I know what that snake did to her. I bet I can even guess that Kabuto had some medical experiments to pull on her. If someone other than me takes care of her, Hisoka's not gonna recover. I know she won't. No one's gonna know what she wants or needs without getting pissed. I just need to know _why_ she needed the surgery."

Tsunade knew full well that the young shinobi wasn't going to like her answer but something told her that he was right. The girl wouldn't stand a chance if Naruto didn't take care of her. "The damage was hidden behind some already damaged organs so Sakura naturally couldn't pick up on it unless she had opened Hisoka up out in the open." Tsunade told him.

"What damage?"

"Naruto, her organs look as if someone had electrocuted them. There's a faint mark where she had been hit and even Kakashi could tell you that it's the same mark that a well placed Chidori would make." Tsunade told him. "Basically, gaki, the Uchiha gave Hisoka a slow death sentence."

Naruto quietly looked at Hisoka, his heart racing in his chest. Had he gotten to her in time? Had they given her a chance to survive or had they just simply extended her life by a few short hours or days? "He wouldn't!" Naruto protested. "Sasuke might be a bastard but he wouldn't…"

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, knowing full well that the proof was in front of him and had been seen by any medic that had been in the operating room. "What else is wrong?" Naruto questioned.

"She's not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot."

"How many more surgeries will she need?" His voice was suddenly weary.

Tsunade shook her head slightly. "Her more life threatening injuries were taken care of. Right now the main concern is her heart. It's damaged and weak. It's nothing more than a miracle she survived this long with her heart the way it is now."

Naruto said nothing as he stroked Hisoka's soft hair, watching for any signs that she knew he was there. "She'll make it." Naruto said with a solemn look. "She's a fighter. Believe it."

There was such a determination in his eyes that Tsunade found herself wanting desperately to believe him. She just hoped that Naruto wasn't setting himself up for disappointment in the long run.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Yeah, I was thinking that I was gonna have to work today so I was all ready to update yesterday then I found out that I don't have to work this weekend then I forgot that today's Friday so I was pretty much going "Oh, crap! Update!" Now that this chapter's done, I can get back to the strange event that's being cooked up for a future chapter. Read and review!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I would have left the update until tomorrow since I'm tired (up at four and I swear it wasn't to watch the royal wedding on tv) but I woulda woken up in the middle of the night with my brain demanding that I update if I tried to leave it until tomorrow so yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

She liked this place. It was dark but it was comforting. Everything was okay here and there wasn't any reason to be afraid.

"_With the magical sword and shield, the prince fought the evil dragon. The dragon roared and lowered its head to eat him but with a single swing of the magical sword, the prince took off the dragon's head."_

She knew that voice. Hisoka looked around the darkness before starting to walk towards the direction of Naruto's voice as he told her about the prince that walked up the stairs to the tallest tower to find the princess that lay sleeping for a hundred years. How long had she been in this darkness?

"_He stared at the sleeping princess for a moment, his breath still as he stared at her. Kneeling next to her, he gave her a soft kiss and- Ugh! How can people seriously read this crap to their kids?"_

A giggle left her lips, echoing around her. _"Naruto!"_ She knew that voice too. It belonged to that pink-haired lady. Sakura.

The girl paused a moment when she saw a light ahead. Something told her to go towards the light but still she was afraid. She liked the darkness and the comfort it offered. Couldn't she just stay here? _"It's been two days since she was brought out of that coma. Shouldn't she be awake by now?"_ Hisoka frowned slightly. Naruto was worried? Why?

"_Sometimes it just takes a while."_

Deciding that she didn't want Naruto to be worried about her, Hisoka gathered her courage and walked into the light.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

The relief that had showed on Naruto's face when he saw that she was awake was a greater comfort than the darkness that had so soothingly held her. "Good afternoon." Naruto said with a bright smile. "How are you feeling?"

Gray eyes slowly blinked as she watched Sakura work, staring softly at the medic before focusing on the machines. "This shows your heartbeat." Sakura explained. "It lets us see how your heart's doing and it's looking a lot better."

The last time Sakura had said that was just before her chest started to hurt and she was pulled into the empty and cold darkness. Hisoka stared at Sakura before looking at Naruto and offering him a bright smile. "I'm guessing you're feeling a lot better now." Naruto commented lightly, his smile growing brighter when he saw her nod in confirmation. "Do you know where you are right now?"

Hisoka's smile faded and she shook her head in response. She knew she was in a bed and it looked like it would hold only one person comfortably. Nothing other than her stomach hurt but that was more of an itch than anything else although she wasn't entirely sure she liked the needles that were in her arm. "You're in the hospital. You were hurt very badly and needed to have an operation done." Sakura explained gently.

Panic immediately showed on the child's features before she looked under her hospital gown and stared at the cut over her stomach. What had they done to her? Did they put something in her just to see what would happen? "It's okay." Naruto said quickly. "They were fixing the injury you got when Sasuke hit you."

Panicked gray eyes met blue and immediately Naruto could see the absolute terror reflecting in her eyes. What else had Sasuke done? Surely all that fear didn't come from just one hit. Just what else had that teme done?

As he held onto Hisoka's tiny hand, he could see that it would be a while before she was comfortable around anybody whose abilities were focused in their eyes. If Kakashi showed his Sharingan eye around her then he'd possibly be associated with Sasuke if he weren't already associated with someone that had caused her harm. Sai was already associated with Sasuke due to their somewhat similar appearances so there was a chance that she would never trust him.

Sakura watched the scene before her with a solemn expression. It hurt her to know that the one person she had once had a crush on had hurt an innocent child for no reason. From her reactions at the mere mention of the Uchiha, he had done so much more to her than just taken a Chidori to her. "I need to let Tsunade know that Hisoka's awake. She wanted to check on her personally due to where you found her, Naruto." Sakura told the blonde.

"Sure. I'll get her settled back down."

Hisoka watched as Sakura left the room before giving the blonde a confused look when he lightly tapped her wrist. "When baa-chan gets here, Hi-Hi, you should tell her everything that they did. She'll make sure they don't get away with it." Naruto told her.

The look in her eyes told him that she didn't want to. She was afraid of what they'd do when they realized that she had told. There also a look in her eyes that told Naruto that she didn't believe that anybody would do anything. "You tried to tell someone before." Naruto said softly.

Tears spilled from Hisoka's eyes as she nodded, wrapping her thin arms around herself. From her reaction, it was safe to assume that no one had even attempted to help. They had all just looked the other way and let it continue even when it was being done in front of them. "Hisoka." Immediately her tear-filled eyes looked at him and saw the understanding look that no one could have done unless they had once been through the same thing.

Hope started to grow within her as Hisoka saw the look in the blonde's eyes. He understood. Naruto had been in her situation once and he knew what it was like. He'd make everything okay no matter what it took. They couldn't hurt her now that Naruto was there to keep her safe.

Wiping her tears from her cheeks, she gave him a small smile that was quickly returned. "I told baa-chan that I want to take care of you." Naruto told her. "It's not gonna be easy to get everyone on the council to agree but hopefully by the time you can leave the hospital you'll be able to come home with me."

Hisoka nodded slightly and stared when she heard the door open. She could feel her heart racing in her chest as a blonde woman entered the room followed by a man that seemed to look grumpy about something. "Baa-chan! How come you brought Ibiki?" Naruto demanded.

"Don't start, Gaki!"

Hisoka grabbed Naruto's hand and held on tightly, clearly afraid of the two strangers. She felt Naruto squeeze her hand in comfort and heard him tell her that they were okay. "That's Grandma Tsunade and that's Ibiki." Naruto told her. "I don't know why Ibiki's here though."

"I'm observing." Ibiki told the blonde simply.

"How are you feeling, Hisoka?" Tsunade questioned as she began checking over the girl's vitals. "Does anything hurt?"

Hisoka pointed to her stomach and made a face that told the older woman that the girl wasn't happy about the surgery. "It was necessary." Naruto reminded the girl. "That injury that Sasuke gave you was slowly killing you."

She pouted slightly before watching Ibiki with great distrust. "Does your incision hurt?" Tsunade questioned patiently. "On a scale from one to ten with one being no pain, does the incision hurt?"

After a few moments, Hisoka shook her head as she turned her hands so her palms were face up. She knew from the other people that had been captured by Orochimaru and used in experiments that she didn't know what other children were supposed to know. "You don't know how to count?" Tsunade guessed.

Hisoka shook her head, watching as Naruto began holding up fingers and silently giggled when he started making faces while mouthing the numbers. Tsunade sighed when she saw what the blonde was doing and lightly hit him on the head. "Knock it off, gaki." Tsunade told him. "You're the one that's going to be teaching her the basics while she's here so you might as well start thinking of _how_ you're going to teach her."

"So I'll get to take her home with me when she can leave?"

"That's still being decided."

Ibiki watched the girl's reaction to Tsunade's reply and could see plainly that she wanted to be with Naruto. Her entire body language screamed that she was afraid but she was more afraid of what would happen if she were to attempt to escape from the hospital. From how she flinched when Tsunade began checking the incision, it was clear that she associated a doctor's touch with pain.

He knew that he had done some horrible things just to get a confession out of a captive but he had never done anything to anybody that wasn't a shinobi. Children offered information rather easily depending on how trusting they were. "Hisoka, can you push your foot against my hand? Push as hard as you can." Tsunade told her.

Cooperation in her eyes meant that she wouldn't be hurt as badly. When the Hokage's examination was done, confusion showed in the girl's eyes when the blanket was placed over her again. "You're healing nicely and I expect that once you get to a more desirable weight you'll be able to be discharged and placed with someone." Tsunade told her before looking at Naruto. "You make sure that you're here during meals since I'm being told that Hisoka refuses to eat when you're not here."

Her body language reflected both embarrassment and pride despite her fear. It was almost amusing that she felt some triumph despite consequences. As he followed Tsunade out of the room it was clear that she was still worried. "Well?" Tsunade questioned.

"Scared but willing to cooperate. I'll need to watch her more to be absolutely positive that she's not a threat."

"Make sure you give your reports directly to me. I don't need to tell you how easy it'd be for Orochimaru to use a child as a weapon."

"Understood."

She just hoped that the girl was nothing more than one of Orochimaru's unfortunate victims.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Next chapters will be a bit lighter so that'll be good. Um, I'm probably going to go to bed so I'll see you guys again next week. Ja ne and read and review!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! _Sleeping Beauty_ was honestly the only story that came to mind when I wrote this chapter then suddenly I heard Naruto making some comment/question regarding how parents could read that crap to their kids so it needed to go into the story cause how many people honestly see him able to go through a princess story without making some comment? So yeah, I've got two or three chapters done ahead of time but haven't gotten farther than that due to a bunch of drama that took most of last week and killed the urge to write for a while.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Four<p>

It seemed like the more time he spent trying to help get the damned Uchiha back to Konoha, the more time he spent wondering what exactly the female population had seen in him. There was just no way that someone as smart as Sakura could have been so blind to the Uchiha's true colors. Now her eyes were open and he couldn't have been more pleased.

Sai was silent as he stared at his newest sketch, seeing the tenderness in Naruto's eyes that had shown so clearly since day one. It was almost amazing how one orphan that hadn't known kindness was capable of showing kindness to strangers. What was even more remarkable was the absolute trust a clearly terrified child placed in one person that had done what any human being with morals would have done.

"Sai?"

The raven turned and saw a still drowsy Sakura standing near one of his older works, her pink hair tousled. From the bags under her eyes, he could safely assume that it had been a long night at the hospital. "Shouldn't you be sleeping, hag? You look awful." Sai told her.

It had bothered them to allow Sakura to go home late at night by herself when she was weary from a long day at the hospital and they had all but forced her to agree to crash at his house during the rest of the night or day so she could sleep. The time she spent sleeping really depended on how busy she had been and even what time it was. "Screw you." Sakura responded as she opened the fridge. "Taking a page from Naruto's book. Never argue on an empty stomach."

"Long night?"

"You have no idea. Add Hisoka to the mix and you've got two prejudice medics thinking that she's like Naruto."

Somehow he could have seen that one coming. "Is she?" Sai questioned.

"No seals."

"But…"

"The Kyuubi's chakra is somehow getting into her system. It's like she's becoming the new Jinchuuriki while Naruto's still alive."

There was stress in the woman's voice and when Sai glanced over at her, he could see the weary look on her face. She was worried and was trying to find an answer as to how when it was clear that Naruto was completely unaware of what was going on. "Is it helping her?" Sai questioned.

"Not hurting her either." Sakura sighed softly as she curled up on the couch. "It's just there. Not helping but not hurting either. It's like it's benign or her body just has a natural immunity that the rest of the human population other than the Jinchuuriki lack."

Sai stared for a moment before inwardly sighing. She was going medic on him and he could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. Distantly he remembered hearing something similar happening in another country but he couldn't be completely positive. For all he knew at the immediate moment was that Sakura was just over thinking things and he was beginning to do the same. Then his attention went to the fact that she had found a pair of his pants and was currently wearing them along with one of the shirts that she had gotten him as a present.

Closing his sketchbook, Sai turned to face the woman. "I know you've been told this already, hag, but you need to learn when to keep hospital issues at the hospital."

A small smile spread across Sakura's face before she threw a pillow at him. She couldn't deny that her boys had told her to keep hospital business at the hospital but she just couldn't bring herself to leave the one particular case alone. "So what's going on that found its way into your sketchbook?" Sakura questioned. "You looked upset over something."

He had looked… upset? "I was thinking about duck-butt-sama." Sai responded calmly.

"Ah." There really was no point in getting upset over Sai's nickname for Sasuke, especially now that she was upset at the latter.

"I hope your tastes have extended past traitors and people that want you as well as everybody else that you know dead."

If she weren't somewhat tired still then she would have punched the raven. "Sai, shut up." Sakura sighed. "Sasuke was a crush. Nothing more."

If she didn't know any better, she would have said that Sai was jealous of Sasuke. Sai didn't get jealous though. He may have had the emotional range of a rock but Sai just did not get jealous for any reason. Sakura wasn't even sure that he knew what jealousy even was.

Sakura squirmed a little when dark eyes focused on her. She knew he was trying to determine if she was lying but there was something in his gaze that made her uncomfortable. "You should keep clothes of your own here." Sai told her patiently. "I read in a book that when a male or female stays at another's home for extended periods of time then they keep clothes at the person's home."

They stared at each other for a moment, Sakura's brain reeling from what he had just said. While it would make things easier, she was fairly certain that Sai had gotten his hands on yet another relationships book. If he had gotten it from Kakashi then the pinkette swore she was going to burn the Jounin's precious Icha Icha right in front of him. "Sai." Sakura said calmly as she rubbed her forehead.

"Yes?"

"Please tell me that whatever research material you got that from didn't involve sex."

"If it does?"

"Then you will return it to whoever you got it from before I stay the night again."

Knowing full well that she'd check his stash of books, Sai nodded in understanding. "I stopped by the library earlier today. You won't believe what I saw."

Suspicion crossed her features. "What?" Sakura asked warily.

"Naruto was in the library."

"What?"

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_Fear pounded through her body as Hisoka sat quietly in the dark room. Everything hurt and she wanted somebody to come to help her. She wanted what the people in the cages talked about. A home, someone to love them, but most of all she wanted to stand outside and feel the sun on her face. They all said that the sun was warm but she didn't know what warm was._

_Her voice had long ago vanished and she didn't dare try to bring it back. All she knew was that she could see in her mind what it was she wanted. She wanted someone to come and tell her that everything would be okay. She wanted to go to that place that the others called home._

_She stared silently at the door as it opened and felt a twinge of fear as she stared at the man that had entered. She knew his name and also knew that he had a temper if she didn't do what he wanted. From the look on his face, it was clear that he was in a bad mood._

_Inwardly shivering in fear, Hisoka forced herself to smile at him. If she smiled then maybe he wouldn't do anything but the look in his eyes said otherwise. Without saying a word, he knelt down in front of her and brushed his fingers over her matted hair before she saw the sparks and felt the unbearable pain in her stomach._

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Ibiki hadn't been expecting anything remotely interesting to happen until after Naruto arrived and the girl began attempting to please the blonde by going along with whatever scheme that had been thought up. While the things he came up with so far were harmless, it was clear that he had been thinking very hard about the meaning behind each action.

The man said nothing as he watched the girl suddenly wake up and saw her mouth was open in a silent scream. Her eyes were wild as she frantically looked around, searching for anything that she could use to defend herself from the nightmares that haunted her before spotting Naruto's jacket that lay at the foot of the bed.

Suddenly she grabbed the orange monstrosity before covering her head with it only to duck under the blankets. After several minutes she poked her head out from the blankets and kicked them off before taking Naruto's jacket from her head. Ibiki watched as she breathed in the blonde's scent before tucking the jacket under her pillow.

Her actions were careful as if she were afraid of getting caught. Ibiki knew that Naruto would see where his jacket had gone and as soon as the girl was sound asleep he would simply leave something else behind to soothe her. It was actually almost unnerving how easily the blonde could tell what the girl wanted without her having to say a word or even motion for what she wanted.

The more Ibiki watched her, the more he could see that she really wasn't a threat. She was psychologically damaged to the point where she was too afraid to refuse to do anything regardless of if it made her uncomfortable. There was no refusing to do anything for the nurses when they needed her to do her exercises, no intention of doing harm, or even any intention of gaining independence. It was almost as if she were just a living doll that strived to keep herself safe by going along with whatever whim someone around her had.

The scarred man watched as the girl's demeanor suddenly changed to that of an excited child and watched as Naruto came into the room with something behind his back. There was laughter in his bright blue eyes as he chatted happily to the girl and watched as she reached for him. It was clear to even the most oblivious of individuals that Naruto was the girl's entire world and that she wanted him to stay with her forever. "Your hair's a mess." Ibiki heard Naruto comment. "Hold still and I'll brush it out for you."

There was a look on the girl's face as Naruto brushed her hair that told Ibiki that she enjoyed the attention Naruto was giving her. "Grandma Tsunade says that you'll be able to start going outside in a little while." Naruto told the girl. "Not for long of course since we're still not sure where your immune system stands but it'll do you some good since I guess your bones can get messed up if you don't get enough sunlight. At least that's what Sakura-chan says."

Ibiki did nothing as he watched the scene play out before him for a few hours before going to make his report to Tsunade. In due time the girl would leave the hospital and once she did, he knew that they would see the extent of her damaged psyche.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Also couldn't resist the whole "at least what Sakura-chan says." comment since I don't really see Naruto really understanding the whole sunlight produces vitamin D which helps bones thing. So yeah, umm... that's it for this week and I'll see you next week!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

lostmoonchild: I like reviews, oh I like reviews. Yeah, I know, it's Thursday here in South Dakota and some of you guys are probably going "What the heck?" but possibly not complaining. Sadly I gotta work tomorrow (again) and I don't want to update when I get home since it'll be: home, email, bed. On the bright side: you guys get the chapter early and I get to go to bed knowing that this week's update is done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Five<p>

"Why the hell not?"

Tsunade gazed calmly at the obviously upset teenager, resisting the temptation to start some yelling of her own. "It's not that I don't think that you don't care." Tsunade told him. "It's just that I don't think that you'll want to stick around the village when rumors of Sasuke's whereabouts suddenly come up. If you take care of Hisoka then you can't very well leave her by herself and you sure as hell can't drag her along."

"I wasn't planning on it!" Naruto protested.

"Naruto, just let somebody more experienced take care of her. You're barely earning enough as a Chuunin to take care of yourself so how in the world are you going to handle raising a child that's going to need physical and mental therapy?" Tsunade asked. "Do you even know how much it costs to raise one child?"

"I'll manage!" Naruto argued. "Please! I know she's not going to do so great if I'm not the one taking care of her. Nobody else is gonna-"

"Naruto, that's enough. I know you want to take care of Hisoka but you're not ready to take care of a child." Tsunade leaned back in her chair with a weary expression. "I'm sorry but I have to say no."

He knew that she was right but still there was a burning desire to take care of the girl that so desperately needed him. "If no one wants her then can I take care of her?" Naruto asked with a defeated tone in his voice.

"You aren't going to sabotage the attempts of anybody that's going to take care of her, are you?" Tsunade questioned.

While he was tempted to say yes, Naruto knew he couldn't be selfish. Maybe there was somebody that could take care of her better than he could. Surely there was somebody in the world that could give her everything that she needed. A mom and dad, a bedroom to call her own, nice clothes… things that he couldn't give her. All he could really give her was love but that wouldn't put clothes on her back or make sure that she got all the help she needed. "No." Naruto replied after a few moments. "I can't do anything that'll result in her being hurt."

As Tsunade watched him leave her office, she couldn't help but wonder if the blonde that had just left really was the same loud brat that always made declarations of being Hokage someday. Maybe she should reconsider the whole topic but on the other hand it was even Kakashi's opinion that Naruto wasn't entirely ready for parenthood. Yes he had been at the hospital practically every day but Tsunade knew that sooner or later the blonde was going to want to hunt for Sasuke.

She reached for her sake and took a large swallow, closing her eyes as she felt the liquid burning as it went down. Sometimes this job sucked but she knew that somebody had to do it and she was just the poor idiot that got stuck with it.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

She wanted her Naruto but the people told her that she couldn't see him anymore. They said that he was a monster but she had seen monsters before and knew that Naruto wasn't a monster. Monsters didn't help little girls that were dying or comfort them when they were scared. Monsters just hurt people.

She was sent to live with different people whenever the people that were currently taking care of her got tired of having her around and each time they said that she'd never be able to see Naruto again. Not all of them called him a monster but each one of them always looked furious or hateful when he was mentioned. A few of them had even torn up and burned any picture that she drew of him so any pictures she had drawn of him where kept hidden from sight.

Hisoka stared silently at a wall, ignoring the knowledge that her pajamas were wet. If she woke up her current "caregivers" then she knew they'd start yelling at her for wetting the bed again. It wasn't natural, they claimed, for a girl that was five to be wetting the bed like some kind of baby.

Silently getting to her feet, Hisoka grabbed the sheets and pulled them off the mattress before shoving them into the hamper. "What in the hell are you doing?"

The girl flinched and drew back into a corner, watching as the person she was supposed to consider being an older brother pulled the sheets out and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "She wet the bed again!" The boy shouted.

She hated him with a passion and felt the tears gathering in her eyes when he began ruthlessly teasing her. Even though the people all said it had been three months since she had been released from the hospital, she could still remember seeing the softness in Naruto's eyes when he came in the middle of the night after getting a call from one of the nurses. He never teased her for wetting the bed. He just comforted her and cleaned her off while the nurses remade the bed. Then he sat with her until she fell asleep before he returned to his own home.

These people just took pleasure out of yelling at her and making fun of her when she did something. They hated it when she sucked her thumb or started hitting pillows. Everything she did was a mistake to them and she was almost too afraid to even leave her room, which was fine with them. She knew what she was to them and hated them for it.

She knew as they forcibly dressed her and shoved what few clothes she had into a bag that they were kicking her out. They'd tell Tsunade that she was a troublemaker and a thief and that they didn't want someone like her in their household. "We tried our best, Hokage-sama," they'd say, "but she needs special care that's beyond our means."

Then they'd leave and she'd be left alone with Tsunade while the older woman tried to find somewhere that she could stay for the night. When morning came the nightmare would begin all over again and there'd be nothing she could do to stop it.

Hisoka didn't bother paying attention as the lies were spoken to Tsunade, choosing instead to practice her counting and the few words Naruto had taught her to say with her hands. She had them down but it calmed her when she did whatever Naruto had originally taught her to do.

Suddenly there was the sound of wood breaking and Hisoka jumped, her eyes widening when she saw Tsunade's fist had broken through her desk and scattered papers everywhere. "You listen to me." Tsunade said, her voice dangerously calm. "I don't want to hear any more lies about Hisoka. I've been getting reports that she stays locked up in her room for most of the day and when she does leave her room, she just gets yelled at for things that are beyond her control then gets yelled at more when she starts sucking her thumb or wets the bed at night."

Immediately Hisoka's thumb went into her mouth and she began sucking rapidly as she listened to Tsunade yell. Her gray eyes flickered to the people that had brought her to the woman's office and saw that they looked shocked about their lies being revealed. "Now get out of my office!" Tsunade yelled.

The people immediately left and Hisoka pressed herself tighter against the wall when Tsunade's weary eyes fell on her. "I'm sorry." Tsunade apologized as she got up and knelt down in front of the girl, watching as she flinched away. "I couldn't let them say those idiotic lies and get away with it. Karasu!"

An ANBU member wearing a crow's mask appeared suddenly and bowed slightly to Tsunade. "Yes, Lady Hokage?" Karasu questioned.

"Get Uzumaki Naruto and tell him to come to my office. If he complains then tell him that I have an A-ranked mission for him of the utmost importance."

"Yes, Lady Hokage."

No sooner had the ANBU member left did Tsunade let out a sigh. "Let's just hope that Naruto's apartment is habitable for you." Tsunade told the little girl. "At least for the next week or two anyway because there's going to be lots of things he'll need to do."

Happiness soared in Hisoka's being at the realization that she would be able to stay with Naruto. No more being afraid of what would happen if she did something wrong and being told that he was a monster. She'd be able to stay with her Naruto since Tsunade said she could and what Tsunade said went!

A bright smile spread across Hisoka's face as she clapped happily to show her excitement. Tsunade smiled softly before eyeing the broken desk carefully. "I know I don't have to say this but if someone asks, I didn't do it." Tsunade told the girl. "Got it?"

Nodding, Hisoka bounced in place as she waited for Naruto to arrive so they could go to the one place she wanted to be at most. Home.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

An A-ranked mission? He could hardly believe his luck! He was only a Chuunin and was being issued a mission of this rank? Maybe Granny Tsunade was realizing his strength finally.

Naruto was thrilled as he rushed towards Tsunade's office, freezing when he saw the familiar little girl sitting near a corner. Her entire face lit up as she got to her feet and ran to him, jumping into his arms. "Hisoka!" Naruto exclaimed as he hugged the girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Her last 'caregivers' decided she was too much trouble." Tsunade informed the blonde. "So she's been waiting here for you to get your lazy butt here so she can go home with you."

Hold on a minute. Hisoka would be going home with him? Naruto stared at Tsunade as if trying to decide if she were playing some kind of cruel joke before jumping around with Hisoka in his arms. "But what about the mission?" Naruto questioned as realization suddenly hit him.

"You're holding your mission." Tsunade told him. "You are to take care of Hisoka for as long as needed. Every month you will be given an allowance to use on Hisoka's overall care and every week you will turn in reports that will contain any and all observations you've made."

"So I'm going to be taking care of Hisoka? What happened to me being unable to cause kids is expensive?" Naruto questioned. "I mean that's the main reason you didn't want me to take her in the first place."

"It's come to my attention that those that had been trusted to care for her have not been doing what they were being paid to do." Tsunade informed him. "Now do you think you can handle this or am I going to be forced to find somebody else?"

"I can do it. Believe it!" Naruto grinned brightly. "Come on, Hi-Hi, let's go home."

Home. She liked that word and as Naruto bent over to pick up her bag, she knew that it would be the one place where she never had to be afraid.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He didn't know what compelled him to come back to this particular hideout. All Sasuke knew for certain was that something was telling him to check on the corpse of the little girl that had reminded him so much of the people he had left behind in Konoha. He personally hated her with a passion but some part of him wanted her to be his forever.

Sasuke frowned in irritation when he saw the door was hanging wide open and even before he stepped into the room he knew that the girl was gone. How had she escaped? When he had last seen her, the little brat was almost too weak to sit up on her own and was well on her way to becoming a corpse. How had she gotten enough strength to escape?

His dark eyes flickered to a wrapper lying on the ground and silently picked it up. His face showed even more anger when he recognized the brand and knew there was only one person that would eat such a disgusting flavor.

Crunching the wrapper in his tight fist, Sasuke turned and stormed out of the room determined to steal back what was rightfully his.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Beginning of the chapter I was pretty much "Noo! Naruto has to take care of her!" then my muse set things straight so I was like "Noo! Stop tormenting Hisoka!" so now I'm satisfied. Anyway, I'm gonna finish updating so it's bedtime for lostmoonchild so oyasumi and remember to leave a review please!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

lostmoonchild: Hooray it's Friday or Saturday in some parts of the world. After nearly dying of laughter on Thursday after watching a fourway wrestling match and watching three of my little cousins defend their mom by sitting on our younger cousin (their older cousin), I decided it'd be wise to get these chapters uploaded before I actually did die of laughter. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Six<p>

It was amazing to him how quickly she had fallen asleep and as Naruto carefully tucked the girl into his bed, it was even more amazing to him that he had been allowed to finally bring her home. Naruto glanced at the old picture of Team Seven and picked it up before hiding it in a drawer. He didn't want her to know just yet that they had been teammates with Sasuke once upon a time. When she did find out, Naruto wanted it to be on his terms and when he knew that she was ready to know.

No matter what anybody said, Naruto knew that Hisoka was his little girl. He'd prove that ends would meet one way or another even if he were given a crappy salary. He wouldn't die on any missions and he'd be sure to avoid getting sent to the hospital during training sessions gone too far. Everything that could be done he'd make sure to do right.

The blonde sighed as he went into the living room and began picking up various articles of clothing that had been left lying around before going to the kitchen to see what they were all missing. He hadn't really thought about his eating habits until right now and he was almost shocked to realize that he wasn't the healthiest eater. While he hated vegetables, he knew that he had to suck it up if he expected Hisoka to eat.

As he flopped onto the couch, Naruto had the sinking feeling that his days as a carefree eater was now done and that his diet would now consist of everything that was actually on that pyramid of foods Sakura was trying to beat into his head. With a groan, he closed his eyes before smiling faintly to himself. Everything would be okay now even if he didn't have a real good idea as to what he was doing. Besides, he mused, wasn't that what teachers and good friends were for?

Chuckling softly to himself, Naruto slowly drifted off to sleep knowing that after tomorrow his wallet was going to be a lot lighter and his trips to the ramen stand would drop quite a bit.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_The woman with long dark hair and the same gray eyes as her smiled warmly as she stared into the distance. "There's ten of them, little one. Long ago, a great man divided a single demon into ten individual demons. Nine of them lingered on this land while the tenth and most powerful was sealed within the moon." The woman said softly. "They'll respond to your presence. Their chakra, their essence, will be yours to do with as you please."_

Why?_ Never once did she have to open her mouth to ask in her dreams. She just needed to think the words and everybody knew. Just like Naruto always seemed to know what she wanted._

"_You're special and there will be people that will fear and hate you because of it. They destroyed us once. Each of the five nations destroyed us after our home was destroyed."_

Home?

_The woman looked at her and knelt down so they were face to face. "It exists no more just as we exist no more. You are the last and he will not let you die." The woman told her patiently._

_Hisoka turned and stared with wide eyes at a large demon with nine tails. He looked like a fox but no fox could get that large or have so many tails. "He is Kyuubi, little one. He is their king." The woman told her as she calmly stood. "Already his chakra is dwelling within your body, feeding you what has been denied."_

Will Naruto leave me? I don't want my Naruto to leave me alone._ Fear and anxiety began to fill her being as she reached towards the large demon. She didn't want Naruto to abandon her because of the demon king. She wanted Naruto to stay with her forever._

_When she looked to see if the woman had heard her, she stared upon realizing that the woman had vanished. Slowly her hand dropped as the world began to shift and fade away to nothing with the demon's image the last to leave._

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Hisoka slowly opened her eyes and stared at her new surroundings. Panic held her for a moment before she remembered what had happened the night before. She had been kicked out again and this time Tsunade had sent her to live with Naruto for a little while. This must have been where Naruto slept but if this was his room then where was he?

Carefully she slipped out of bed and left the room, cautiously taking in her surroundings and finding safe places to hide if strangers came in. She stared when she saw Naruto sound asleep on the couch, his tall form pouring over the arms of the worn couch. Why had he given up such a comfortable bed when he knew that he didn't fit the couch?

Remembering that she should always be cautious when waking up a shinobi, she began poking his ankle and ducked when he jumped awake. "Hi-Hi… Good morning." Naruto said with a grin. "Did you sleep okay?"

Hisoka nodded slowly as she stepped into his line of vision and rubbed her stomach. "Oh, you're hungry? Sure. Then we'll get changed and go shopping cause we need some stuff." Naruto told her as he got up. "I'll take care of you the best I know how. I didn't have a mom or a dad growing up so we're just gonna have to wing this whole family thing."

He always talked about random things but she liked hearing him tell her about what was going on in his mind. Most of it was funny while the rest told her that he knew more than what he let on around everybody else. "Okay, let's eat." Naruto said brightly as he set a plate of eggs down in front of her. "Enjoy."

If she wasn't absolutely certain that people would let her starve again, Hisoka would have cared that the eggs didn't taste like he made them often. Actually, she was almost certain that he didn't cook his own food that often since she had seen those cups of ramen in an open cabinet. Did he really just eat that ramen stuff?

Once breakfast was done she ran back to Naruto's room and grabbed a change of clothes as he came in to grab some clean clothes. "We gotta brush our teeth and brush your hair too." Naruto told her. "Then it's off to the store!"

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto was silent as he carefully looked at the vegetables, feeling Hisoka hide herself from the other customers that were watching with varying degrees of curiosity and disgust. "What's he doing with a kid? Did he kidnap her or something?" Somebody whispered.

Hisoka pulled on his jacket, her eyes full of confusion and worry. "N-A-R-U-T-O. H-O-M-E." Hisoka spelled slowly with her fingers. She loved those two words and had made it a point to practice them every single chance she got.

"We'll go home as soon as we get some groceries."

"R-A-M-E-N?"

"Do you want some?"

Hisoka shook her head before making a face. Naruto laughed a bit and ruffled her hair. "How in the world can you like not like ramen? It's the best food on the planet." Naruto said with a grin.

Hisoka wrinkled her nose in disgust before giving him a playful grin. "Naruto!" A familiar voice called.

A grin spread across Naruto's face as he saw Kiba coming towards them with a bright smile on his face. Hisoka stared for a moment before hiding behind Naruto, her small fingers clinging tightly to the orange pants. "Hey, Kiba. What'cha doing here?" Naruto questioned.

"Ah, Hana's being a pain in my ass again so I decided to pick up something for a snack later on." Kiba said before noticing Hisoka. "That the kid that you found? Tiny, ain't she?"

"She'll grow! Hisoka, this is my friend Kiba. Kiba, this is Hisoka."

While he knew he could easily pry her out from behind him, Naruto knew it'd be a good idea to let the little girl do what she felt would keep her safe. "Hey there." Kiba said with a grin. "How are you doing?"

Hisoka stared at him before hiding her face again. "She's still skittish around people." Naruto said as they walked towards the checkout. "So we're running a few errands."

"Hell, a bunch of us is getting together for lunch if you two aren't busy." Kiba told him. "Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Sakura, Sai, and me. You and Hisoka are more than welcome to join us."

Naruto watched with a careful eye to make sure that the fruits weren't bruised and that the meat wasn't switched for the rotten stuff. He had a kid to think about now and he didn't want to have to resort to switching the rotten crap for the edible stuff in front of her. He looked down when he felt Hisoka pull on his jacket again and saw the look in her eyes. "S-A-K-U-R-A." Hisoka slowly spelled.

"You wanna see Sakura-chan?" Naruto guessed and knelt down when she nodded. "You know there's going to be new people and Sai there, right?"

While she couldn't honestly say that she liked Sai very much she also couldn't say that he had done anything to hurt her. He always kept his distance and when he did get close to her, he never once touched her. When she nodded again, Naruto smiled a little in response. She knew full well that Naruto wouldn't let anybody hurt her or anything and she also knew that he wanted her to get used to his friends. If she did that then maybe he wouldn't get rid of her like everybody else had.

Taking his large hand in her own small hand, Hisoka followed him and Kiba out of the store before darting behind Naruto when a large dog started barking happily. "This is Akamaru. Don't worry, he's a big softie." Kiba said with a grin.

Maybe she should just tell Naruto that she wanted to go back home. She wasn't entirely sure she liked the dog too much despite Kiba's assurances. Looking up at Naruto she could see that he wasn't at all worried about the dog but rather her own reactions. "He's okay." Naruto promised with a smile. "You don't have to pet him if you don't want to."

She remembered one of the experiments that Orochimaru had done on her that involved wild dogs. He had let the dogs into the same room as her after starving them and when she could see again, the dogs were all mangled and bloody. After that…

Tears gathered in her eyes before she pressed her face against Naruto's hip, trying desperately to hide her tears. "Whoa, how come she's crying?" Kiba asked, startled by the sudden onslaught.

Naruto knelt down and soothingly rubbed small circles on her back, whispering soft words of comfort. He didn't know what had set off the tears but he knew he had to make them stop somehow. "Shh, it's okay. You're okay now." Naruto said soothingly. "Shush now, Hisoka, I'm here. Whatever that snake bastard did to you is done now. He can't hurt you."

Slowly she began to calm down until only small hiccups shook her body. "What in the world was that?" Kiba questioned as they walked back towards the apartment.

"Some things just set her off. I think there's only a few things she's not terrified of or associates with what that damned snake bastard did." Naruto told him. "Even S-A-S-U-K-E did something to her cause she's terrified of Sai for some reason. I'm actually worried about what she'll do when she's around people that have bloodline abilities focused in their eyes."

"Shit." Kiba swore softly. "How do you think she's going to react to Hinata or Neji?"

"I don't know." Naruto offered a small smile at Hisoka and watched as she returned the smile before cautiously watching Akamaru. "I'm actually prepared to book it from the restaurant if she starts to get upset and take her home."

As Kiba stared at the blonde before he looked at the little girl, he found himself wondering how Naruto could possibly be so patient and willing to sacrifice so much. He knew what set the little girl off and did his best to keep her away from them or at least expose her to them in small amounts for only a short time. "Has Kakashi-sensei used any of his dog-nin around her?" Kiba questioned.

"Nope."

"Damn."

"I figure when it comes to dogs just put her around one that's a hell of a lot smaller than her."

Hisoka frowned slightly and pulled on Naruto's jacket before shaking her head. She didn't want to be around any dogs for any reason. It was only because this dog was with Kiba and Naruto was talking to Kiba that she was even being the slightest bit tolerant of the dog. "I don't know, Naruto. Some kids are just spooked of dogs and even as adults don't care much for them." Kiba told him. "Although that's just weird to me. Dogs are the best."

It was official, Hisoka decided once the groceries had been put away and they were on their way to the restaurant. If her Naruto had one weird friend, he was bound to have more and she was fairly certain that she was about to meet them.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: So yeah. Right now it's 12:43 Friday morning and I've got Bo Burnham's "My Whole Family" playing since it's on my playlist and I wanted something fun to listen to. Um, read and review and I'll see you guys next Friday. Ja ne!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

lostmoonchild: It's Friday or Saturday in some parts of the world so ya'll know what that means! Yeah, I was in a crappy mood earlier today but now I'm in a much better mood. Decided though that I'd better avoid cosplay costumes where the belt is around the waist if I want to keep from looking pregnant when in all truth I'm not. Anyway, thanks for the reviews guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Seven<p>

When planning on taking back what was rightfully one's own, it was always important to pretend not to be thinking about it. As Sasuke ran with his own teammates following him, he knew that he'd have the lay low for a while. Sooner or later Konoha would get some idea to have the hunter-nin come after him again and this time he may not escape so easily.

The longer he let her be with Naruto though, the greater the chances that she'd use him to kill everybody that had ever hurt her. They truly didn't realize what the girl was and he suspected that Naruto wouldn't even care in the long run. Knowing the dobe as well as he did, Sasuke felt comfortable with assuming that he'd defend the girl no matter what was said or done to him.

Someday, he decided, the blonde would die due to his idiocy and bleeding heart. The jury was still out on if he'd laugh or seek revenge if Naruto ever died and his murderer survived. Then again there was an excellent chance that he would be the one to kill Naruto and then he'd take out his own personal demon that walked in the guise of a little girl once and for all. This time he knew that he wouldn't assume that she was going to die and just make sure that her pulse had stopped before leaving her corpse to rot.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Upon entering the restaurant, Naruto was suddenly worried that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Hisoka had problems meeting one or two people at most but she was going to be meeting five people that she had never seen before in her entire life at once. Then there was the whole Sai and Sakura being there too which didn't bother him too much but he knew that Hisoka wasn't comfortable around Sai and regarded Sakura's words with great suspicion.

He looked down at her when he felt her small fingers grip his own fingers tightly and saw the look in her eyes. She was going to try just for him. _I'll be good._ Her eyes told him. _I'll be good and make you proud of me. Then you'll want to take me home still._

It made his heart break to realize that she thought he wouldn't want her if she didn't try to overcome what had happened. "Just let me know if you get too uncomfortable and we'll go home." Naruto told her. "I won't get mad."

Hisoka nodded slightly and held onto his hand tighter as they approached. "Naruto! You've got Hisoka with you!" Sakura exclaimed with a surprised look before looking suspicious. "Does Lady Tsunade know?"

"She said I could take Hisoka home." Naruto told his teammate as they took a seat, laughing when the girl sat on his lap. "We actually went to get groceries when we ran into Kiba at the store so we ran the groceries home and came here. Hisoka said she's gonna try."

It should have bothered her to know that Naruto could tell what the girl was thinking without her ever saying a word but Sakura was too amazed at the fact that she was actually smiling at Sai and waving to him. "She's adorable." Ino said with a pleased look. "How is she going to survive with you taking care of her? You're probably going to get her hooked on ramen."

"She's not a big fan of ramen. I taught her how to spell it but she makes faces when I ask if she wants some."

Hisoka stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose at Naruto, silently telling him exactly what she thought of the stuff. "From what I've heard, she's a smart kid." Shikamaru stated with a frown as he breathed in the smoke from his cigarette. "How exactly is that going to work with you being an idiot?"

"Just because I'm not good with strategy like most people doesn't mean I'm not smart!" Naruto protested.

"He's right. Not everybody can remember the names of every flavor of ramen invented." Sakura teased.

Hisoka watched as they teased each other and found herself relaxing slightly but also growing confused. Was this what friends did? Naruto didn't seem to care when they called him stupid but the tones they used when they called him that wasn't harsh. It was… she didn't know what that tone was. They were teasing him but at the same time they weren't being mean about it. Was that even possible?

"Hinata! Shino!" Kiba suddenly called, waving to somebody behind them.

The girl twisted until she could look over Naruto's shoulder and saw two people coming towards them. "That's Hinata and Shino." Naruto told her. "They're friends. Just like Sakura-chan and Sai."

"Hello, everybody." Hinata said with a pleasant smile. "I hope we aren't late. Shino-kun was helping me with something."

Shino looked at the little girl for a moment before answering, "I wasn't aware that there would be a child joining us today."

"Naruto's got her. You've heard the rumors, right?" Ino questioned.

"Rumors?"

Apparently not. "We'll catch you up since you two have been gone. How was your mission?" Sakura questioned as she scooted over. "Move it, Ino-pig."

"I hardly bet that your skinny ass could require so much room. Must be your billboard brow, forehead!" Ino snapped back.

There was that tone again but it was also different than what they were saying to Naruto. "It's complicated." Naruto whispered. "Then again, they're girls and I'm a guy so I'm not going to get it."

"What was that?" Sakura questioned.

"Hisoka's confused."

Shino stared at the girl when he saw that her thumb had retreated into her mouth and raised an eyebrow when he saw that Naruto was making no moves to stop her. "Naruto, it may not be my place to say but is it wise to let her do such things in public?" Shino questioned patiently.

Naruto put an arm across the girl's stomach as he told them in a hushed tone where they had found Hisoka and how bad of a shape she had been in. "Ibiki and Baa-chan say that she's got childhood post traumatic stress." Naruto told them softly.

"Poor girl." Hinata offered a small smile to the girl. "You're in good hands. Naruto-kun will take good care of you."

Hisoka stared at Hinata and slowly allowed her thumb to leave her lips before she began squirming out of Naruto's grasp until he let her go. They watched as she cautiously ventured closer to Hinata and put a finger near her own eyes before pointing to Hinata's. "Do you want to sit on my lap?" Hinata questioned.

Hisoka crawled onto Hinata's lap and grinned at Naruto as if to tell him that she was going to make him proud one way or another. "I think that's the fastest she's ever warmed up to anybody other than dickless." Sai commented as he watched Hisoka carefully inspect Hinata's eyes.

"Hey! Don't talk about my stuff in front of the kid! When she starts talking I don't want to worry about her calling me that behind my back."

"I'm sure she may call you other things behind your back."

She was familiar with how Naruto and Sai responded to each other and happily chewed on the bit of meat that Ino was giving her. "S-A-I." Hisoka spelled to Hinata.

From the look of confusion on Hinata's face, she didn't understand. "She wants Sai for some strange reason." Naruto said as Hisoka nodded quickly.

Sai couldn't help but feel confusion as the girl squirmed from Hinata and moved so she was sitting on his lap. He knew that he made her uncomfortable but he also knew that she was determined to make Naruto proud of her and show that she was okay with anybody that he decided to leave her with for whatever reason. Was it possible that Naruot had already explained what shinobi did and if he had to go on a mission that took him out of the village that she'd have to stay with somebody until he got back?

As dinner progressed Naruto could see that Hisoka was growing more and more comfortable with his friends. They talked to her and asked her questions about her likes and dislikes but also found themselves laughing when she began motioning some random story for their entertainment. Something told them that she was going to become spoiled and by the time they decided to head home for the afternoon so Hisoka could lie down for an hour or so, Naruto knew for certain that he wouldn't have to worry about clothes and stuff for a while. He also knew his friends were happy since before dinner had finished, Hisoka had sat with each one of them at least once. "Did you have fun, Hi-Hi?" Naruto questioned with a smile as he carried the girl.

Hisoka nodded against his neck, feeling rather comfortable. Her stomach was full and she was drowsy but she had lots of fun. She had even made Naruto happy by getting along with all of his friends and had the feeling that she had even made his friends happy when she willingly went to them. Even the prickly feeling one seemed to be happy that she sat with him although she couldn't understand why people looked a little wary when she went to sit by him. Was he one of the bad people? No, Naruto wasn't friends with the bad people. His friends were all nice and even if one of the bad people were to come, he'd chase them away no matter what.

Feeling comfortable with her thoughts, Hisoka fell asleep clinging to the blonde with both parties unaware that they were being watched.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, yes, Hisoka did warm up to people rather quickly which surprised me but I'm looking at the whole mindset she has where she thinks that Naruto will get rid of her if she doesn't do anything to make him happy. My brain's kinda going all over the place at the moment so I'm gonna cut this short and ask you guys to leave a review! Ja ne!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, minna-san! This is probably one of the strangest things I've ever done seeing as Naruto's actually stopping and thinking about what he's doing and teaching Hisoka-chan. So far I don't see him having a relationship with anybody right away (even if he were to have a relationship, I'm not sure whether I want the relationship to be with another guy or a girl) so that's still up in the air. Anyway, here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Eight<p>

"_Target exhibits growing confidence."_

"…_is growing increasingly more active."_

"…_shows mental capacities are stabilizing and is potentially a prodigy."_

"…_voices her needs and wants through sign language."_

"…_is well cared for. For continuation of progress, remaining with Uzumaki Naruto is recommended."_

Tsunade read through each of the reports that had been handed in to her regarding the past week's activities from various shinobi that had been watching the girl and Naruto, Anko and Ibiki's reports regarding mental stability, and the medical reports. It seemed as though Naruto truly was giving the still mute girl the means to survive and the strength to overcome what had been done.

Copies of her physicals as well as therapy sessions from the past two months had been given to her and Tsunade couldn't help but be impressed although it was becoming worrisome that the Kyuubi's chakra was working its way through the little girl's own chakra system. She knew that one's chakra tended to rub off onto others but this was ridiculous. There was just no way that the average human could possibly have a Bijuu's chakra within their own systems without getting poisoned by it. The only people that seemed to be immune were the Jinchuuriki themselves but as far as she knew, only two were still alive. The idea that the Kyuubi's chakra was just _rubbing off_ onto the girl was impossible. If it was Naruto's natural chakra, she wouldn't have been concerned. Maybe now it was time for a little visit.

Tucking the reports back into a folder, Tsunade got up and left her office knowing full well where the blonde and little girl would be at that exact moment.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Crackers, orange slices, and celery with peanut butter on it. Naruto couldn't help but wonder why Hisoka seemed to avoid meat when it came to lunch but had no problems eating it for supper or even during breakfast if they were having sausage or bacon. Had something happened or was she just convinced that meat couldn't be eaten with lunch?

The blonde gave a soft groan as he picked a box up and set it on the worn couch, blue eyes glancing over to the half-eaten lunch that sat next to his ramen on the coffee table. While he was pleased that he didn't have to worry about her ripping off his ramen, he still found himself reaching for ramen when meals rolled around only to get a disapproving look. As long as the ramen was beef and had mushrooms in it, Naruto noted, Hisoka would eat it but wouldn't inhale it like he could.

Ramen, it seemed, just wasn't her idea of a decent meal. Fruits and vegetables seemed to be her favorite although he was beginning to suspect that milk wasn't agreeing with Hisoka's stomach. It seemed like every time she drank milk or even ate anything with milk in it, she'd have her head in the toilet shortly after.

Naruto wrinkled his nose slightly at the memory of what that lactose free milk tasted like and wondered how his ward could handle the taste. If he didn't keep an eye on her then she'd down the entire carton within an hour instead of trying to make the carton last a week. If he didn't buy the milk, the smell of normal milk would make her feel sick enough that she needed to leave the room or else she would be sick.

A knock on the door caught the blonde's attention and he put the picture he had been taking out back into the box before going to answer the door. "Baa-chan? What are you doing here?" Naruto questioned.

"I'm here to see for myself how Hisoka's doing." Tsunade told him. "Two months of hearing only reports and not seeing the results for myself will do that to a person."

It had been two months already? He could have sworn that he had taken care of her for less time. "Yeah, sure. Hisoka-chan!" Naruto called before explaining, "She's fixing up her room."

Tsunade watched out of the corner of her eye as Hisoka ran into the living room, her dark hair pulled back into a braid. The older woman inwardly groaned when she realized that the girl was wearing a light orange dress, silently hoping that she wouldn't develop Naruto's "fashion" sense. "Hello, Hisoka." Tsunade said with a pleasant smile.

Hisoka smiled brightly at her before waving. "Water please." Hisoka signed to Naruto, her lips moving in sync with her request.

"Go ahead. Cups are still in the box." Naruto told her.

Tsunade watched as the girl jumped into the kitchen, wondering if this really was the same timid child that she had seen only two months ago. The girl had clearly shot up by about three or so inches and looked as if she had indeed gained weight. Even her personality seemed to change for the better since she was at least communicating with one way that Naruto could understand. "She seems happy." Tsunade commented to Naruto.

"Yeah. Just watch out or she'll start hiding stuff just to make you stay with her." Naruto advised her. "Couple days ago she hid my kunai thinking that I'd ditch her if I had them. Once I found them, we both went off to the training grounds."

"How'd she respond to that?"

"Fairly well. We had to explain that we weren't really fighting."

The Hokage watched as the little girl in question came back into the living room and gave a bright smile again before wrinkling her nose when she saw the ramen cup. Tsunade watched with amusement as the girl gave Naruto a scolding look before reaching and taking a bite of her celery. "Hisoka, may I see your room?" Tsunade questioned.

Why was she asking? Didn't the Hokage just have to say that she was going to look around and nobody would complain? Why would she ask for permission? Looking slightly confused, Hisoka nodded slightly and set her cup down on the coffee table before leading Tsunade to her room.

It was clear to the older woman that Hisoka was growing comfortable with moving away from Naruto when others were around. She remembered the first time she had seen the girl conscious, how she would cling to Naruto and refuse to let him out of her sight. Now it seemed like she knew that Naruto wouldn't leave her.

Tsunade looked around the room and stared at the dresser, seeing small foxes dancing across the drawers. There was a bookcase tucked into a corner with a small chair that the girl could easily curl up in nearby, telling her that the girl liked to read a variety of books. Across the room was her bed and Tsunade nearly smiled when she saw a toy fox sitting near the pillows on the girl's bed. "You like foxes?" Tsunade questioned pleasantly.

Hisoka nodded as she took the toy into her arms and held it tightly. She pointed towards the living room as if to tell her that Naruto had given it to her. "I see. Foxes are nice. They're very cunning which is good and also mischievous."

She knew that mischievous fit Naruto since she had heard the stories that his friends would tell. Some of them made Naruto blush although Hisoka was fairly certain that he was more proud of his actions than embarrassed and was probably just making a blush to make her think that he was actually embarrassed about the whole thing. He may have been a good caregiver but he was really bad at pretending not to be embarrassed about stuff like that.

Hisoka watched as Tsunade sat down on the bed, wondering what the older woman was going to do. "Hisoka, I want to ask you some questions. They'll be yes or no so you can either shake or nod your head." Tsunade explained. "Is that okay?"

Slowly she nodded, wondering why Tsunade was even bothering to ask if it was okay. She listened to the questions, answering them as honestly as she could. Was she happy with Naruto? Did he have her on some kind of schedule? She really didn't understand why the woman wanted to know this stuff but Naruto always did tell her to tell the truth.

As she asked the little girl questions, Tsunade could see that there was no thoughts of lying in Hisoka's gray eyes. Clearly Naruto was doing something right when it came to taking care of the girl by himself and was even managing to make ends meet. "Thanks, Hisoka. I'm going to go talk to Naruto now so thank you for showing me your room. It's very nice." Tsunade said pleasantly.

She watched as Hisoka smiled brightly before carrying the stuffed fox over to the small chair and setting it down as she went back to moving her books onto the shelf. It was compulsive and it seemed like she was trying to reassure herself that everything was okay. "So is everything up to your standards?" Naruto questioned.

"On her end, yes. She's doing better than what I could have dared to expect. I just want to make sure that everything's okay on your end."

Wasn't it a social worker's job to make sure that things were okay? "Go ahead." Naruto said with a small shrug. "Can I get you anything?"

He knew that Hisoka would sooner or later come out just to listen in and he didn't want to chance her listening in now and not hearing him offer Tsunade anything to drink. That was one thing he always made sure she understood about when they had guests. "No, I'll be going back to the office after this." Tsunade told him as she sat down. "So how's she been doing? The main complaints about her before were bed wetting, thumb sucking, clinginess, etcetera. There was more complaints about her than there were compliments."

Naruto frowned slightly as he answered, "Well, she's naturally been having nightmares but they've been going down. Last night I think was the first night she's ever not woken me up wanting to sleep next to me."

"Anything else?"

"Those pull-ups that kids wear at night work wonders." The blonde nearly laughed at the look of surprise on Tsunade's face. It was almost as if she hadn't been expecting him to have a few guesses at how to handle some of the situations that he had willingly signed up for. "The thumb sucking pretty much stopped since she's got that toy fox. She calls him San but since she got him, she's been keeping her thumb from her mouth and hasn't been so clingy when she's got him."

Something told her that Naruto only knew this because he had been down this road once before. "How about Sasuke? Did you tell her that you and he used to be teammates?" Tsunade asked softly.

Tsunade watched as Naruto's entire body stiffened slightly in response, telling her that he hadn't told her. "I don't know if Hisoka can handle knowing just yet. Some of her nightmares are about Sasuke and I don't want her to think that I'm going to let Sasuke hurt her again."

"Listen, that girl adores you and there's really nothing you can do that will make her stop. She's going to find out sooner or later and odds are if she doesn't hear it from you first, someone's going to say something and it's not going to be gentle."

It was clear to her that Naruto did care for the girl but he needed to realize that not everybody was going to keep their mouths shut. She already knew that people weren't being really quiet about their whispers and had a feeling that Hisoka had already heard the demon comments. Sooner or later Hisoka would hear about Sasuke being teammates with Naruto and Sakura and the way she'd hear it wouldn't be gentle. "Baa-chan, I don't know if I can." Naruto told her.

"She'll find out one way or another, Naruto. The question is how will she find out?"

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><p>lostmoonchild: That was the main thing that my brain wondered as I worked on this chapter so when I went to work on the next chapter, well, it took about half a dozen times but I did get the next chapter done. Now I'm gonna finish adding notes to my other stories then I'm off to work so ja ne!<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, guys! My muse has honestly been beating me senseless with some parts of this story (especially with Sasuke's motives) so it's fascinating watching this whole thing play itself out. Right now my muse and I are having several discussions since I'm not quite to the point where Itachi dies but I'm past Gaara losing Ichibi. So here's the chapter, guys, and I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Nine<p>

The one thing that she knew she liked to do at the playground was play on the swings. The feeling that came with rushing forward before going backwards was nothing like she had ever really felt before and if Naruto wasn't paying attention then she could go as high as she wanted. Why he thought she was going to fall and break her neck if she went too high was beyond her but maybe he was just being a little spooked. Maybe he had done that once and thought that she might.

A silent yelp left her lips as somebody suddenly grabbed the swing she was sitting in and pulled back. The sudden change in direction sent the girl flying to the ground, a sudden flash of pain shooting from her knees catching her attention. "Ow…" Hisoka mouthed as she looked at her bloody knees.

"So you really don't say anything. What a freak."

Gray eyes focused on the source of the voice and she frowned slightly in confusion when she saw two older kids standing with the swing she had been playing on between them. What did they want? "We heard that you're being taken care of by Uzumaki Naruto." The girl said with a small smile.

The girl's smile wasn't warm and Hisoka fought the urge to shiver. She wasn't going to be scared by anybody. Giving a small nod, Hisoka continued to stare at them. What was the big deal? "My okaa-san says that you're trying to cause Sasuke Uchiha trouble. She doesn't think that you're telling the truth." The other girl said with a cool frown.

"They used to be teammates, you know. Uzumaki and Sasuke were best friends until Uzumaki tried to kill him."

They were lying. Naruto wouldn't do anything like that. He would have told her if he and Sasuke had been best friends. Even if he had told her there was no way she was going to believe that he had ever tried to kill Sasuke! Naruto had never hurt anybody in front of her! Sasuke always hurt her when he got mad! He must have been the one that tried to kill Naruto! "Liars!" Hisoka signed angrily.

Both girls looked at each other as if asking the other what she had said. "It's true." The first girl said patiently. "Everybody knows that Uzumaki is a murderer. He killed lots of people a long time ago."

No. Naruto told her that hurting people wasn't what life was about. He told her that she should avoid hurting people just because she could. Naruto was a shinobi and she knew that he'd have to hurt people if he was told to but she wasn't a shinobi. She shouldn't hurt people for any reason since everybody had a dream they wanted to make real.

Tears gathered in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet and ran away from the two older girls, ignoring the sound of their laughter. She'd ask him! There was no way that they could be right. Naruto would tell her that they were lying and everything would be okay.

As she jumped into Naruto's arms, she could feel the surprise that radiated off of him. "Hey, what happened? Hi-Hi, what happened?" Naruto asked gently as he looked her over. "You banged your knees up pretty good. How'd you master that? Come on, we'll go home and get you cleaned up."

He wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with the girl but he was absolutely positive that it wasn't her knees that bothered her. She never cried when she scraped or cut herself so something had made her cry. What was it? Now he was wishing he had paid more attention when she was playing on the swings instead of trying to study that stupid parenting book.

Hisoka continued to sniffle when they got to the apartment, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. Her knees stung a little as Naruto cleaned them before putting bandages on her knees. "Good as new." Naruto said brightly.

"Naruto?" There was uncertainty on the girl's face as she looked at him.

"Hmm?"

"Were you and Sasuke ever friends?"

There was a look of absolute desperation in the girl's eyes as if she wanted to know the truth but was afraid of if the truth was that they were. Naruto sighed softly as he knelt in front of her, his eyes calm. "Did you hear that at the park?" Naruto questioned patiently.

Hisoka nodded in response. "I guess Granny Tsunade was right. You would hear it from someone else if I didn't open my mouth." Naruto said with a forced smile. "Come on. I want to show you something."

She followed him to his bedroom and watched as he got something from his dresser drawer. Confusion showed on her face when she realized that it was a picture. "Naruto?" There was worry on her face as if she were afraid he'd show her something bad.

"It's okay. It's just an old picture."

She jumped onto the couch and nestled against him. She could see Kakashi's face as well as Naruto and Sakura. They really hadn't changed much but did Sakura really have long hair when she was younger? She looked so much nicer with short hair instead of long hair and Hisoka was happy that the pinkette had cut her hair. "This was taken before any of the crap with Orochimaru and long before Sasuke decided to take off to join the snake bastard." Naruto told her.

Fear filled the girl as Naruto moved his thumb, revealing the face that had haunted her nightmares with the same furiousness that Orochimaru and Kabuto did. "When this picture was taken, we were twelve. Back then, Sasuke and I were best friends and also rivals. Then he decided to walk on a path that I didn't dare take for tons of reasons." Naruto told her. "He wanted to get stronger to kill someone and decided that only the snake bastard could give him that power."

"What about you and Sakura?" Hisoka asked, her face showing fear.

"Sakura-chan trained under Granny Tsunade and I trained under a guy named Jiraiya." Naruto explained. "Granny Tsunade and Jiraiya were the snake bastard's teammates."

Was it just her or did everybody she like have some kind of connection with someone that she absolutely hated? What kind of cruel joke was it that had people she liked once being friends with someone she hated? "The snake bastard wanted a way to live forever and he took off simply because the way he decided he could live forever was through killing people." There was a look in Naruto's eyes that told her he disagreed with the idea. "Nobody's meant to live forever, Hisoka. It's what you do with the life you're given and the memories you leave behind that lets a person live on even when they're gone."

Hisoka stared at the picture again, inwardly shivering in fear. This was before Sasuke went to Orochimaru and when he and Naruto were actually friends. "If he wanted to hurt me, would you let him?" Hisoka asked finally.

"Hell no! When I see Sasuke again, I'm going to kick his ass for hurting you!"

Naruto watched as Hisoka jumped up and grabbed the newer team picture before she took her place next to him. He could tell she was memorizing the differences between Sai and Sasuke, taking what comfort there was in their differences. "You okay?" Naruto questioned.

Hisoka nodded slightly as she put the picture back and gave Naruto a bright smile. She trusted that he wouldn't let Sasuke hurt her ever again and that Sai wouldn't ever hurt her. As she bounced onto his lap, Naruto could see the smile on her face grow even more. "What?" Naruto questioned as he pulled her up.

Smiling even more, Hisoka hugged him before lowering her middle and index fingers, keeping her other fingers up. Naruto felt his heart skip a beat when he recognized the sign and stared at her with surprise. The little girl was showing him the sign for "I love you" and as he looked into her eyes, Naruto could see very plainly that she meant those three little and yet so great words. "I love you too, Hisoka." Naruto responded with a smile. "Maybe we should talk to Granny Tsunade and see if I can't adopt you."

Nodding brightly, the little girl hugged him as tightly as she could hoping desperately that Tsunade would say it was okay. She wanted to have Naruto as a father and if she needed to, Hisoka knew that she would find the strength to use her voice for the first time in years and she would scream for everybody to know that she wanted her Naruto to be her father.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Those three little words have been said and a small amount of peace has been made with Sasuke being Naruto and Sakura's teammate. Can't help but think that's a <em>huge<em> step towards some normality on Hisoka-chan's part. Will Tsunade allow Naruto to adopt the girl knowing that Kyuubi's chakra is gathering in her system? Will they ever discover the reason why that happens or will their search for the answers uncover a dark secret best left forgotten? Find out as "Dark Temptations" continues so read and review!


	10. Chapter 10

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, everybody! I actualy got to thinking with that scene that Sasuke would still have people supporting him even though he ditched Konoha whereas Naruto would still have people that hate him despite being a Jinchuuriki loyal to Konoha. Anybody else think that's totally messed up? So anyway, here's the chapter and I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Ten<p>

"You're actually going to discuss it with Lady Hokage?" Sai questioned patiently as he looked at Naruto.

"Sure. Everybody else she got placed with ended up doing something to mess her up even more and now she can almost pass off as a normal kid." Naruto replied simply. "I just got to thinking that I might as well adopt her so she doesn't get placed with anybody that'll mess her up. I don't care if you guys want to take her for a few days cause I know you guys aren't gonna mess her up."

Kakashi inwardly sighed as Hisoka pulled his mask off only to make a face when she saw that there was another mask on. It was amusing to watch her try to see his face and he nearly laughed when she kicked her feet in frustration. "We've already tried that when we were kids, Hisoka-chan." Sakura laughed.

"Of course Sasuke-teme wasn't interested until we started pushing the right buttons." Naruto remembered with a grin.

"We? I think it was _you_ that started pushing his buttons." Sakura shot back. "I was just your first victim in the button pushing."

"Of course and naturally he gave in cause I'm that awesome."

Hisoka smiled as she stared at Naruto before trying again to get the mask off of Kakashi. "That's enough." Kakashi told her finally. "The mask is on for a reason."

Immediately the girl stopped and went back to her dinner. It was always interesting to see if she couldn't one day get the mask off of Kakashi's face although some part of her wondered why she always kept his eye closed when she got his headband away from his eye. "Do you think Tsunade will agree?" Sakura questioned.

The look on the blonde's face told them that he wasn't entirely positive. "She's worried about Hisoka cause of what's storing itself in her chakra reserves." Naruto sighed. "Her little fit during her last doctor's appointment didn't help out any."

Immediately the girl's cheeks turned red at the memory. The doctor had tried to give her a shot but of course it was a doctor that just didn't _feel right_ so she had tried to get the doctor away. One minute the doctor was there and the next…

"You swear you didn't teach her how to give a chakra enforced punch?" Sai questioned patiently as he looked at Sakura.

"I doubt anybody's been working on chakra control with Hisoka." Naruto said with a sigh as he watched Hisoka eat as if she weren't listening. "Hell, she didn't even touch him but there was one hell of a flare of chakra."

It was easy to pretend that she couldn't hear Naruto talking about what had happened since she hadn't even really thought about it. All she knew was that it had built up, she had been threatened, and now there was barely any left in her body. Now Tsunade wanted to run a few tests to "eliminate a possibility" but she didn't know what it was.

Sai watched silently as Hisoka's thumb immediately retreated to her mouth as the worry showed in her gray eyes. It was obvious that she was scared of something but he couldn't immediately determine what it was. Was it possible that she was worrying about whatever it was that Tsunade might find? Did the girl know what it was or didn't she know?

Naruto looked at his young charge and gave her a bright smile. "It'll be okay, Hi-Hi. Just keep your chin up and keep going no matter what anybody says or does."

It was strange hearing Naruto sounding smart but Sakura supposed that he might as well at least attempt to apply himself. It was almost painful to know that there was someone actually dependant on Naruto for survival and comfort, requiring him to be aware of the subtle signs at all times but at the same time there was comfort to be found. She knew full well that Naruto had his own problems to work through but having someone that _needed _him could help him heal the wounds that had refused to heal over the years.

When lunch had ended, Naruto held onto Hisoka's hand and grinned at her as if telling her that everything would be okay. "Well, we're gonna do some grocery shopping. Hisoka's running low on that nasty milk."

"It's _good_." Hisoka insisted with a small stomp of her foot.

While it was fun to tease her a little, the blonde knew how far to push before she got upset. "Yeah, okay. The thing about opinions, Hi-Hi, is that everybody's entitled to their own. You can explain why you feel the way you do about your opinion while respecting the other person's." Naruto explained. "It's not easy especially if the person makes you mad or upset." Suddenly he grinned. "If the person makes you mad enough though and you wanna hit them, give 'em a smooch. That'll really shock the heck outta them."

Just when the advice was starting to sound nothing like him, Naruto had to throw in something that nobody would expect. "You're weird." Hisoka told him with a confident look.

"He's Konoha's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja." Kakashi told her lightly as they left.

They had all picked up how to sign knowing that it was pointless to be around the girl when her only method of communication was signing to the world what she wanted or needed. "So you're still good on clothes, huh?" Sakura questioned.

"Yeah. She's starting to outgrow a couple of outfits but I'm not worried seeing as her clothes managed to spill over into my closet."

Hisoka grinned at Naruto before suddenly stopping and staring into the crowd. She could feel her stomach twisting and turning, feeling as if there was something far too hot in her belly. There was someone watching them and they gave her a bad feeling. "What's wrong?" Sakura questioned as their eyes followed the little girl's line of vision.

She didn't know. How could she tell them if she didn't know? If she did know and she told them, what would happen? "Hisoka-chan?" Sai questioned patiently.

Tears began to gather in her eyes before an orange covering darkened her world and she was surrounded by Naruto's scent. "Easy, it's okay." Naruto said softly as she was held in his arms. "We'll wait until you actually run out of milk before we go anywhere. How's that sound? We'll just go home."

A couple taps on his shoulder told the blonde that his young charge wasn't going to argue. "You want us to come with, Naruto-kun?" Sai questioned.

"Nah. I'll just keep her head covered and get her back home." Naruto grinned. "See you guys later."

As they watched the two take off back towards the apartment, the group looked at each other. Something had set the little girl off and they needed to determine what.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Dark eyes scanned the darkened room for a brief moment, taking note of the large bookcase and pile of stuffed toys in one corner. He wouldn't have thought for a moment that the dobe was even capable of locating any books that had nothing to do with porn but there was obvious proof that he was capable. Hell, he was surprised that the idiot was actually capable of taking care of someone without flying off the handle about something.

Sasuke was silent as he watched the little girl sleeping in front of him and raised an eyebrow when he saw the stuffed fox that was pressed against her chest. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen the look of peace on her face or even if he had ever seen the gentle smile that showed on her face at whatever she was dreaming of. Every smile he had seen was clearly a fake one unless she truly was grateful about whatever kind whim they decided to have.

He watched as she shifted slightly in her sleep, her thumb finding its way into her mouth. While he could tell that she was being taken care of here, he couldn't leave her with the dobe. He needed to take her with him. Konoha couldn't have her and he'd be damned if he just stepped aside. Without saying a word, Sasuke made the few hand signs he'd need to ensure that the girl didn't awaken.

Carefully picking the girl up out of her bed, Sasuke raised an eyebrow. She must have weighed at least ten to fifteen pounds more than when he had last seen her. What in the hell was the dobe feeding her that could make something so small weight so damn much? No matter. At least now he was fairly certain that she wasn't going to die on him.

Silently moving to the window, Sasuke glanced back before taking off with the dead asleep child safely in his arms.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Neji couldn't complain when patrol was dull but at the moment he wished that there was something going on. He hadn't been on a fairly decent mission in a while that actually challenged him and it was making him antsy. He wanted action but at the same time he didn't want to chance anything.

He stopped when he sensed someone's chakra moving towards him and raised an eyebrow before heading towards the individual. His eyes widened when he saw it was Sasuke and immediately he prepared to attack. "You might want to rethink that, Hyuuga." Sasuke said coolly. "I've got a hostage right here and it'd be a shame if she were to 'accidentally' have a weapon inserted into her throat."

Somehow he didn't doubt that the Uchiha would stab the unconscious girl in the throat. "Why the fascination with her, Uchiha?" Neji questioned.

"Is that really your business?"

"You're attempting to kidnap a citizen of Konoha. That makes it my business."

Sasuke smirked in reply before attacking the brunette, his eyes flashing crimson in the darkness. There was no way he was going to let the Hyuuga prodigy take away the girl. She was his and no one else's. Even with that knowledge Sasuke knew full well that Neji wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the girl's life or safety. He'd just do whatever he could and hope that one of his plans got the girl from him.

How many plans, Sasuke wondered, would work to get the girl away from him when his Sharingan was going at full speed? He knew that Neji knew full well that all of his attacks would be slowed down and memorized, forever burned into his brain. All of his best attacks couldn't be done in fear of harming the girl and the weak attacks would be easily countered. "You might as well give up. There's no point in trying to defeat me when you know that you don't stand a chance." Sasuke informed Neji with a smirk.

Neji thought carefully as he looked at the Uchiha, his white eyes focusing on the dead asleep girl. He knew there was no way anybody could sleep that heavily without being related by blood to Naruto but even then he was fairly certain that the blonde would have awoken by the constant jumping around and being jarred. No, the Uchiha must have done something to ensure that she'd stay unconscious but what had he done?

Suddenly an idea hit the brunette as he looked at Sasuke. The Uchiha was expecting complicated attempts so what if he decided to go for the simple attempts? There'd be no way in hell he'd be expecting that one seeing as he was a Jounin and from the reports that had been received, the Uchiha was possibly at a Jounin's level as well. "You'd better hope Naruto doesn't get his hands on you, Uchiha." Neji informed Sasuke. "You'll be a dead man if he does."

The two shinobi fought against each other, one painstakingly avoiding any harm to the unconscious civilian while the other made it a point to use the unconscious girl as a shield. It was a coward's way, both knew, but they both also could see that it was giving Sasuke the desired result.

Knowing he had one shot, Neji braced himself before making the proper hand signs and applying the correct amount of chakra. With his plan now in place, Neji smirked as he watched Sasuke's reaction as he blended into the trees. He knew the plan would be obvious but that was exactly what he was counting on.

Sasuke snorted in disgust at the knowledge that he had been caught in a genjutsu and smirked to himself as he set the girl down on a tree branch, placing one foot on her head in warning. "Release!"

Nothing seemed to change and suddenly the air sang as several weapons came flying at him. Sasuke had no time to grab Hisoka as he jumped back, his eyes widening as he stared at the little girl now turned pincushion. No, wait a minute. That wasn't the girl.

Anger crossed the Uchiha's face as he watched the smoke clear away revealing a small log. So the Hyuuga decided that a replacement jutsu within a genjutsu was the best method of attack, huh? That just left the question of where he put the real little girl and where Neji was currently hiding.

Deciding that the girl wasn't worth getting caught or killed at the moment, Sasuke snorted in disgust before running as fast as he could away from the area knowing that he was being watched and that within minutes he'd have the hunter-nin going after him once again. In due time he knew he'd reclaim what was his but for now he'd settle with the knowledge that there would always be somebody willing to resort to every trick in the book just to protect the little monster.

Sooner or later he knew that the defense around her would drop and when it did, he'd be sure to use her to locate the rest of the Bijuu and destroy everybody that opposed him once and for all.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I don't know about you guys but I just felt that there needed to be at least <em>one<em> Neji vs. Sasuke fight in this fic. It just seemed right for some reason so it got thrown in there although I do admit that I was talking out loud while doing that scene. It's not the first time that's happened and I know it won't be the last time. I'll see you guys next week so to all you dads (or even moms that are filling the dad role): Happy Father's Day!


	11. Chapter 11

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! More questions will be raised than laid to rest although the next chapter lays to rest a question or two. So here's this week's chapter and I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Eleven<p>

He had thought it would be safe to assume that he'd be able to sleep all night but as Naruto darted towards the Hokage Tower, he knew different. Somebody had broken into the apartment and had taken Hisoka only to have Neji rescue her. Was he really going to have to place traps around the windows and door just to prevent anybody from taking her? Why in the hell did he have to be such a heavy sleeper?

Naruto darted into Tsunade's office, his blue eyes wide as his chest rose and fell. He could see Hisoka wide awake and carefully examining Neji's eyes with the same fascination that she had held for Hinata. "Are you okay?" Naruto asked as he carefully checked the girl over for any injuries. "Who did it? I'm going to shove my foot-"

"Naruto."

The blonde looked at Tsunade and saw the seriousness in her eyes. "What? I'm glad that Hisoka's safe but I'm still going to shove-"

"It was the Uchiha." Neji said with a small frown. "He placed a jutsu over Hisoka to ensure that she wouldn't awaken and thought that he'd be able to escape Konoha with her without anybody noticing. Unfortunately for him I did notice and I was able to retrieve Hisoka."

Fear showed in the girl's eyes as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, her fingers tangling themselves in his blonde hair. "So what? Is he caught or what happened?" Naruto asked as he put an arm around Hisoka as if trying to protect her.

"He escaped." Neji replied.

"We already have hunter-nin going after him as we speak but we need to determine what the best way to protect Hisoka is." Tsunade told him. "Uchiha already knows full well that she's in Konoha. She needs to be moved."

"You're kicking her out just because the bastard decided to make a kidnapping attempt? That's bullshit!" Naruto shouted.

"Shut up and listen for one minute!" Tsunade shouted at the blonde, her eyes showing irritation. "I didn't say we're kicking her out. I said that Uchiha knows she's in Konoha. If we move her to another location for a week or so then that'll give us time to determine a plan of action."

Where would they move her? Hisoka looked at Naruto and saw that he didn't look overly pleased at the idea and that he was wondering the same thing. "Where exactly were you thinking of hiding her?" Naruto asked carefully.

"Suna. I've already sent the request to Lord Kazekage-"

"So she's going to be there by herself? I don't think so."

"Good, because I don't think so either. You're due for a vacation anyway so it'd be good for you to get out of Konoha for a couple of weeks."

If he didn't know better, Naruto would have sworn that Tsunade just wanted him out of her hair due to the knowledge he'd be constantly worrying about the little girl. "Nothing hurts, does it?" Naruto asked Hisoka, watching as she shook her head. "You're okay?" She nodded and grinned at him. He knew from the look in her eyes that she was okay physically but emotionally she was terrified. Why did Sasuke hate her so much? Had she done something wrong to make him hate her enough that he didn't want her to be with Naruto?

The blonde inwardly sighed as he watched the questions cross through the girl's eyes, wondering how he could give her the answers that he didn't have. "While we're waiting for Lord Kazekage's response," Tsunade said patiently, "I want to have Hisoka's chakra system examined carefully. Naruto, you'll need to help and that's not a request."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Seeing both Neji and Hinata with their activated Byakugan brought back memories of the Chuunin Exams though he was grateful neither one was fighting. He just wished that there was no reason for them to even think about looking at Hisoka's chakra system. "When they get a good glimpse of her chakra," Tsunade told the blonde, "direct your chakra towards her."

If her suspicions were right, it would be the Kyuubi's chakra that would go to the girl instead of Naruto's own chakra. When that happened, the demon's chakra would settle itself along the edges of her chakra system and in the points giving her the means to use the Bijuu's chakra as her own. Of course if her suspicions were right then she'd be forced to alert the council as well as the other Kages. When that happened, the fate of an innocent child would rest with them all.

"We see her chakra system."

"Naruto."

Hisoka stared at the four adults, her eyes wide as she felt a comforting sensation moving through her. There was confusion on Naruto's face as if he was feeling something completely different but when she looked at Hinata and Neji, she could see the confusion on their faces. What was wrong? Why did they look so confused? "Its charka's moving through her body." Neji reported, managing to regain his composure.

"L-Looks like it's settling along her chakra points."

Damn it. She was hoping that the girl wasn't what she thought. "Okay, you all can stop." Tsunade said with a sigh. "Naruto, I'll need to do a few more tests until Lord Kazekage's reply comes. I want you and Hisoka to meet me at the hospital tomorrow afternoon."

Hisoka sat down on the floor and gave Naruto a questioning look. She didn't feel bad anymore so why did they look so worried? "C'mon, Hisoka-chan. Let's go home." Naruto scooped the little girl up into his arms, holding her close to his chest.

Tsunade watched as the girl wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck and rested her head on his shoulders. How was this even possible? They had all died years ago during the Third Great Shinobi War so how could this child even exist? Everything connected to that family other than the Bijuu had been destroyed so how was it even possible. "Hisoka-chan, I need to ask you a very important question." Tsunade told the girl. "Do you remember your parents?"

A frown appeared on the girl's face as she slowly shook her head. "You've always been with Orochimaru then?" Tsunade pressed.

Again Hisoka shook her head. "Tornados in the water." Hisoka signed slowly. "I remember those."

"Tornados in the water?" Tsunade repeated. Was it possible she was talking about _whirlpools_? The only place she could immediately think of that had whirlpools had been destroyed.

"Whirlpools." Neji told the girl. "That's what they're called."

Hisoka frowned slightly as she tried to remember, trying to determine if she had ever seen the sign. No, she didn't think she had ever seen the sign for whirlpools so she'd have to look as soon as she could. "Who took care of you?" Tsunade asked.

Small shoulders moved up and down as Hisoka shook her head. No one had been with her so she didn't know if anybody had been there. She had been on her own for a little while before…

A chill went through the girl's body at the memory. They had been the first people she had ever seen before and they had taken her away from the others. Then they started hurting her and whenever Sasuke looked at her, it was always with hate. It was as if he knew something that she didn't know and now they were looking nervously at her. "Can we go home now?" Hisoka asked Naruto. "I want to go home."

"Can this wait until tomorrow, Granny Tsunade?" Naruto questioned. "It's late and I'm sure Hisoka-chan's tired."

Tsunade nodded slightly at the teenager, seeing the determination in his blue eyes. Something told her that Hisoka wasn't even aware of what was going on or even that she was different. Absorbing Kyuubi's chakra was nothing more than a subconscious reaction on her part so perhaps there wouldn't be any harm. She'd just need to make sure that the two were carefully watched still. "Goodnight." Tsunade told them.

Hisoka waved slightly to them before closing her eyes as she tightened her legs around Naruto's waist. "Back." Naruto told her.

As soon as the girl scrambled onto his back, the blonde grinned at them before leaving the room and darting from rooftop to rooftop heading towards the safety of their apartment.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_There were others in the strange tubes, their arms folded across their chests and their legs carefully tucked up and beneath their arms. Most of them were floating in the liquid, their skin tightly drawn over their skeletons while one of them lay on the ground with empty eyes staring ahead._

_Hisoka was silent as she looked back at her tube, seeing the liquid was spreading across the floor. The air was cold but her eyes never left the others, something telling her that they were all failures. She was an unwanted success and nobody could make her go away. Everything that they had all been put in those tubes to do were now up to her to finish._

_Shivering slightly, the girl grabbed onto a table and pulled herself up, her legs shaking as they were used for the first time. She didn't want to fall down and as she at the pictures that were etched onto the tubes; she felt a pang of sadness when she realized that her tube had no pictures._

_Why was she there? What was she? Was there anybody around here? Taking a shaky step, Hisoka collapsed to the ground with small pants leaving her lips. No one was going to come for her. Something was calling her, pleading for her to hurry towards them. She was wanted and even desired. Something somewhere wanted her and she would find who or what it was._

_(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)_

_Kyuubi raised his head, as he felt a little more of his chakra being taken. It was becoming an almost constant thing now that his host had a kit around. He wondered for a moment if he should warn his host what exactly the kit was, deciding ultimately that his idiot host would find out in good time. He didn't even think that the kit understood what was going on or even why his chakra was entering her body._

_It was almost amusing to watch the humans realize that the kit _needed_ demonic chakra in order to even hope to function properly. It had taken them long enough to put the kit with his host after she had first been brought into the village. He had almost been afraid that the kit would die in her sleep from the deficiency._

_He had seen from his blonde host's eyes that the old woman had known almost immediately what the girl was but was still trying to deny everything. She realized, Kyuubi knew, that she was holding the girl's life in her hands. If the girl, the last wall of protection the Bijuu had, died then he and the others would be screwed. By no means was the kit to die or he'd personally make sure that all hell broke loose._

_Deciding to just sit back and wait to see if anybody would tell Naruto, Kyuubi rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes. The girl would bring no harm to his idiot host and he found himself hoping that the foolish creatures known as humans would realize that neither he nor Naruto would allow any harm to befall what was rightfully theirs. Even the Uchiha would pay for attempting to steal the kit regardless of his intentions._

_With images of making the Uchiha suffer horribly playing in his mind, Kyuubi allowed himself to start dozing into a peaceful sleep._

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Now my gut says that there's going to be hell to pay sooner or later but my muse is keeping quiet about it to me. Hopefully we'll find out what's going on cause at the moment I don't have any idea until the story's written down. Next Friday's my day off (yay) so you'll get to find out what exactly Tsunade knows. Read and review, ja ne!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! I've been pretty busy (think the only time I really get to go through looking for any typos is when I'm updating) so I apologize in advance for any grammer mistakes that may appear. Okay, so here's the chapter that I'd probably better get posted before the storm (and I swear it's the same one that was dropping very unwanted rain on us last night) knocks out the electricity and my internet.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twelve<p>

Naruto woke the next morning to find the spot where Hisoka was sleeping cool to the touch and in a panic, rushed out to the living room to find the girl sitting near the coffee table with a bowl of cereal next to her and her drawing supplies in front of her. Blue eyes softened as he watched the girl draw, occasionally stopping long enough to take a bite of her cereal. What was she drawing that she was seeing as important enough to eat cereal in the living room?

It wasn't like he cared if she ate in the living room but he knew how much she hated eating anything that had liquid in it in the living room. Whether she was afraid of spilling something or just something that she hated doing, he didn't know. All he knew was that she must have been determined that whatever she was drawing was important.

Naruto said nothing as he watched the girl. If there had been anybody in his life when he was that young, would they have ever watched him like this? If his parents had been alive, would they have watched him? Damn it. He forgot to talk to Tsunade about adopting Hisoka. He'd have to remember to do it later when they went to see Tsunade. "Morning, Hisoka-chan!" Naruto said brightly.

Hisoka looked up and grinned brightly at him as she jumped up and ran over to give him a hug. Her eyes danced with excitement as if she had surprise for him. "What's going on in your head this morning?" Naruto questioned.

She gave him a secretive smile as she raised her arms up, motioning for him to pick her up. Once she was tucked into his arms, Naruto laughed at the face she made. "You're a silly kid." Naruto teased as they went over to the couch and he flopped onto the lumpy cushions. "Ugh. Thinks it's time we got a new couch. This one's ready to retire I think."

Holding onto his hand, Hisoka reached over and grabbed the drawings, showing him. "What're these?" Naruto questioned, glancing at the girl to see what she'd say.

"When I woke up." Hisoka responded.

Blue eyes focused on the drawings, recognizing the tubes as the same kind that Orochimaru would use in his experiments. In each picture, there was a child that was either inside the tube or lying on the ground. In the final picture, Naruto noted that the tube was empty and that Hisoka had drawn herself with a confused look on her face. "Your parents weren't there?" Naruto questioned.

Hisoka shook her head slightly before scooting off of the blonde's stomach. "What now?" Hisoka questioned.

"We're going to go show Granny Tsunade the pictures. I want you to tell her everything that you remember, got it?" Naruto questioned. "I know we're not supposed to meet her until later but this might be pretty important."

Hisoka nodded in understanding before putting her now empty bowl in the kitchen, waiting as Naruto got dressed. She knew that Tsunade would understand. She just had to.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

She had known that they had been desperate to survive but this was a new low. She hadn't even thought that the family would even consider doing such a thing and now here they were all looking at the living proof of desperation. If the wrong moves were made, the girl would without a doubt be killed. "Naruto, I need to talk to you. Hisoka-chan, why don't you go with Hawk-san on a little walk?" Tsunade suggested.

"Am I coming back?"

Was it possible the girl actually understood her situation better than what they were all thinking she did? "Yes." Tsunade answered with a small nod.

Hisoka looked at Naruto before leaving the room with the aforementioned ANBU member. "What's going on?" Naruto questioned.

Tsunade sighed softly before answering, "During the last part of the Third Great Ninja War there was a group of individuals that had, shall we say, unique talents. There were nine of them, to be exact, and each one varied in strength."

"Okay…"

"The first one was strong enough to perhaps handled the Ichibi. The second could handle Nibi and so forth until the ninth one." Tsunade watched Naruto carefully, seeing that he was trying to understand why she was telling him this. "This family had been around for years, each generation giving birth to nine unique individuals that were killed. Every four or five generations, a tenth child would be born with the rare ability to control all nine Bijuu."

"Great. So what's this got to do with Hisoka?" Naruto questioned.

"If I'm right in assuming this, Hisoka's either the one that's actually supposed to control the Kyuubi or she's the rare one that can control all the Bijuu."

Naruto stared at the older woman in disbelief. "Uh huh, sure. So a five year old girl that got the shit beaten out of her has the ability to control Bijuu." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I think you're getting senile, Grandma."

If she were to bunch the blonde, could she restrain from cracking his head open or would she be forced to operate on him in her office? "I'm being serious here, Naruto." Tsunade told him. "They took refuge in the Whirlpool Country before its destruction and it's safe to assume that Hisoka is the absolute last of this unique family."

"Right. So why would Orochimaru and Sasuke want to starve her to death instead of trying to kill her off or trying to get her to help them?"

Tsunade thought for a moment. "It's possible that whenever you and Sasuke got into a fight and you ended up using the Kyuubi's chakra, some of its chakra rubbed onto Sasuke and then Hisoka unknowingly took it. I don't think I need to tell you how unnerving it is to have your chakra being drained from your body by a third party."

"_My money's on controlling all of them. I've met the genius that got charged with my keep and that idiot could barely control himself. Besides, the girls usually get charged with all of them."_

_Why the hell did the girls get charged with all the Bijuu? Hold on a minute… Did you already know?_

"_From the moment we got within two miles of the snake-nin's."_

_And you didn't say anything why?_

Tsunade was silent as she watched the blonde, seeing the look in his eyes. Was it possible that the Kyuubi was talking to Naruto? She couldn't deny that there had been suspicions about the whole subject but they had yet to ask Naruto. Despite the few people that believed he'd tell the truth, Tsunade was fairly certain he'd lie just to save his life from the few that would be screaming for his immediate death. "Yeah, well, I don't care if Hisoka's the last of some psychotic family. She's my little girl and I want to adopt her." Naruto said with a determined look.

Tsunade stared at Naruto for a moment, her eyes wide in disbelief. He knew what she could do and yet he wanted to adopt her? "Naruto, do you even realize what they can do to a full-fledged Bijuu?" Tsunade questioned. "The effects they can have on a Jinchuuriki could be lethal."

"Do you really think that Hisoka would kill Killer Bee or me?" Naruto questioned. "She just needs to learn-"

"And how do you propose she learns, Naruto?" Tsunade questioned. "Look, all of the Kages are going to be coming here to see her. They will all determine if she's a threat to the respective countries or not. I don't think I need to tell you what will happen if they do see her as a threat."

"I still want to adopt her."

A sigh left Tsunade's lips as she looked at him. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Until this matter is settled, I cannot allow her adoption to anybody. Not even you." There was sympathy in her eyes. "You should probably go get her and I'm also sorry to say that you two will need to stay in the village."

"And if Sasuke comes back for her?"

"You let me handle that. Now go."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

It was clear that something was bothering him and she had no idea was it was. Hisoka looked up at Naruto as she held his hand tightly in hers, watching him carefully. "We've gotta stay here." Naruto told her. "Some people are going to be showing up here before too long to meet you. It's important you make a really good impression, got it?"

_Why?_ Her eyes asked him.

"Because you're special and we want the people that are coming here to like you. They're really important, just like Granny Tsunade, so you need to mind your manners."

_Am I in trouble?_

"I don't know yet. Just remember that what Granny Tsunade says goes and that what the important people say goes as well."

Hisoka nodded slightly and rested her head against Naruto's arm. "When this is all over, Hisoka-chan, I'll talk to Granny Tsunade again about adopting you. Right now she doesn't want to give either of us any false hope." Naruto forced a grin. "Just be yourself and they'll love you as much as I do. Sound good?"

Hisoka nodded in understanding and grinned at him in response. She'd make Naruto proud of her and no matter what, she'd make sure that the new people that were coming liked her.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I personally can see Naruto trying to make the situation seem like it's not that big of a deal but still make it clear that it's a big enough deal that manners and a very good impression are both a must. Okay, I'm gonna go vanish for another week so read and review!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

lostmoonchild: Ohayo! So I was painting a shoebox pink for my cosplay stuff (already have one that's brown but that's getting full and I don't want to mix up my cosplay boxes) when my muse grabbed a metal bat and began beating me senseless shouting "It's Friday again, you idiot!" Thanks for the review and I'm actually pleased to say that Hisoka's biological mother now has a name. What that name is, you guys will find out in the next couple chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirteen<p>

They were arriving a lot faster than what he thought they would. Were they all really that eager to see if an innocent child was now a greater threat than the Akatsuki? He didn't know how any of them would be able to justify deciding whether or not a child lived or died. Hell, Hisoka didn't even know that her entire future depended on their first impression of her.

"You seem to be serious about something."

Naruto looked behind him and grinned when he saw Gaara. "Gaara!" Naruto cheered as he jumped up. "Long time no see!"

Gaara allowed a ghost of a smile to show on his face as he studied the blonde carefully. He didn't look like he had slept well for a few days and there was a look of worry in his eyes but overall the blonde looked as if he had been doing well. "You look tired." Gaara commented as they started walking.

"Hisoka kept waking me up last night. Wanted to know when everybody was showing up." He laughed a little. "If anybody tells you that raising a kid's easy, they're lying."

There was an adoring tone in Naruto's voice that told the redhead that the blonde truly did care about the girl. "Are all nights like that?" Gaara questioned.

"Most of the time. The snake bastard had her so we've been dealing with the fallout on that one."

"I don't need to meet with Lady Hokage for a short while. Perhaps I can meet the girl?" Gaara questioned.

Naruto smiled bright as he nodded. "Hell yeah! I think she'd love to meet you. Sai's got her right now and I'm fairly certain he's trying to teach her how to handle a sword." Naruto's eyes darkened slightly at that. "It's like he's trying to get her into ANBU before we even know if she wants to be a shinobi."

Immediately Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Do you think she'd be able to handle the mission types that kunoichi are entrusted with?" Gaara questioned.

"I don't know. I really don't want her to be a kunoichi but she doesn't really seem that fascinated by civilian life."

"Perhaps she figures that if she follows in your footsteps she'll be able to help somebody the same way you helped her."

With each step that they took, Gaara felt a pleasant tingling sensation in his chest. He couldn't help but feel as if they were both being pulled in the same direction. "Hi-Hi." Naruto said simply as if answering some unasked question. "When I found her, I could feel her pulling me towards her about two miles or so away from Orochimaru's hideout."

"Two miles?"

"Give or take. She's mute so don't get offended if she doesn't say anything."

Gaara nodded slightly and stopped when Naruto stopped, teal eyes following blue before focusing on a little girl wearing an orange dress that was spinning around with her arms extended. "Is that her?" Gaara questioned.

"Yep. That's Hisoka."

"She seems… lively."

"I think she's sucking up more Bijuu chakra than normal. I guess Killer Bee's showing up too to give his opinion and then there's you. Hopefully if she does suck any bit of Bijuu chakra out of you it won't be much."

He didn't feel weak or anything but he did feel better as if he had slept for an entire week. "Unless she's decided unconsciously that I'm injured and need a little extra protection so she's sending what chakra she's taken for herself and giving it to me." Gaara replied patiently before noticing that the little girl had noticed them.

Naruto laughed as Hisoka charged towards them, pretending to stumble backwards when she jumped into his arms. From how her eyes shone with happiness, it was clear to Gaara that the girl absolutely adored the blonde as much as he adored her. "Hisoka-chan, this is my friend Gaara." Naruto told the girl. "Gaara, this is Hisoka-chan."

"Hello."

Hisoka stared at him and for a moment Gaara wasn't entirely sure what else he should do. He had no experience with normal children so what was he going to do with a child that was psychologically damaged? Would he do anything that would set the girl off? Just what exactly set her off?

He started when Hisoka leapt from Naruto's arms over to him, her thin arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she grinned at him. "I told you she'd like you." Naruto laughed.

Gaara set the girl back down and studied her features carefully. He knew better than to judge someone by their looks alone and that all gut feelings were to be taken seriously but all his gut told him was that she was innocent of whatever the hype was. "I didn't say anything." Gaara responded. "How are you?"

The girl smiled brightly at him before tugging on his hand, trying to pull him towards the swings. "Push me?" Hisoka questioned with a hopeful look. "Please?"

"Another time maybe." Gaara told the girl. "I need to see Lady Hokage and tell her that I'm here."

His hand dropped as Hisoka let him go, her eyes showing realization and understanding. "You're one of the important people Naruto said was coming to see me." Hisoka told him.

"Yes."

"I'm not bad. I heard the ladies at the hospital say that people were coming cause I was bad." Her eyebrows furrowed. "I don't think I was bad. I didn't mean to push the doctor away but he didn't feel good. I don't like people that don't feel good. They make my tummy burn and then they get pushed away and I don't feel good so Naruto has to stay near me until I feel better. That hurts his training time."

Naruto knelt down in front of the girl, his blue eyes showing sorrow. "I told you that's no big deal. Uncle Kakashi understands that when you don't feel good, I need to stay with you until you feel better." Naruto told her.

It was remarkable that she chose to both mouth and sign her words instead of just doing one or the other. Gaara glanced at the pale raven and saw the lack of surprise in his eyes. "Hisoka-chan gets rather concerned about Naruto-kun and everybody else that she's taken a liking to." Sai stated calmly. "I do not doubt that my opinion will be requested from the other Kages, Lord Kazekage."

Now he had the feeling that any of the shinobi that had the pleasure of being near the girl for even a few minutes would tell them the same thing. "More than likely everybody will be asked."

Hisoka's eyes widened in fear. "I don't want anybody to get into trouble because of me!" Hisoka told him.

"No one's in trouble." Gaara tried to reassure her. "I promise."

There was caution in the girl's eyes as she carefully searched for any signs that he was lying. "Hisoka, no one's in trouble." Naruto told her. "Before Granny Tsunade said we couldn't leave Konoha, we were gonna go to Suna and you woulda met Gaara there."

Nodding slightly in understanding, Hisoka grinned at Gaara. Since he and Naruto both said that nobody was in trouble, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to talk to them. Besides, she liked Gaara even if he didn't really feel like either Naruto or Sai. He made her stomach feel strange but it wasn't a bad strangeness and whenever she looked at him, she could hear "one" faintly whispering in her head whereas Naruto always had "nine" whispering. Nobody else made the whispering start so what made them different?

Taking Naruto's hand into her own, Hisoka grinned up at them as if saying that she wasn't scared anymore. There was absolute faith in her eyes that everything would turn out for the better and none of the men could help but have faith that she was right. No matter which way the other Kages voted, Gaara knew that the girl was more than welcome to hide in Suna for however long was necessary. Silently conveying the message to Naruto, he couldn't help but smile faintly at the large grin that spread across Naruto's face. Wherever the girl went, Naruto would follow quickly behind.

"Can he come over for supper?" Hisoka questioned, her gray eyes showing curiosity. "Please?"

Naruto laughed as if the girl had just told a joke, his blue eyes dancing with excitement. "How about it, Gaara? Wanna come over for supper?" Naruto questioned.

It was a common question that Hisoka asked when she liked somebody, Sai knew, so he wasn't offended that he hadn't been invited. With how often the group was around the girl, there wasn't any surprise to be held when she'd ask Naruto if somebody could eat with them. "I'd be glad to." Gaara replied.

The three men watched as the girl silently cheered and clapped her hands as she jumped around in a circle. "It's really a wonder she wakes up so many times in a night, dickless." Sai commented lightly. "I don't think she's sat down for more than five minutes today."

"Of course not. Sitting down's the worst thing on the planet." Naruto chuckled. "Come on, Hi-Hi. Let's go pick up something for supper. Thanks for watching her, Sai. Gaara, we'll see you later."

Gaara nodded slightly as he watched the two walked off, seeing the look of pure joy on the girl's face. "He seems to be filling the parent role quite well." Gaara commented.

Sai nodded slightly before replying, "I believe that Naruto-kun has indeed benefited from caring for Hisoka-chan. He loves her more than what anybody else could and if anything were to happen to her, I do not believe he would recover."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He wasn't entirely sure what he had been expecting when he arrived at Naruto's new apartment but whatever it had been, it clearly wasn't this. "You came! You came!" Hisoka cheered as she pulled him into the apartment. "Would you like anything to drink? We have water, milk, and tea."

It was rather impressive that Naruto was teaching her manners since the last time he checked, the blonde's manners were that of a little kid's. "Not right now thank you." Gaara told the girl before nodding to Naruto. "I didn't think this would be better than your last apartment."

"People have more sympathy when there's a sickly looking kid. Now you can't even tell she was a living skeleton. Ino's actually a bit jealous since Hisoka's still thin."

Hisoka rolled her eyes at Naruto before smiling brightly at Gaara. He felt like the sand in the playground to her just like Naruto felt like fire. "Come on! We've got the food all ready and everything! Naruto didn't even burn any of it this time!" Hisoka said happily as she pulled him towards the kitchen.

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow at Naruto, seeing the sheepish look on his face. "I don't burn food that often. Just often enough that Hisoka's picked up how to cook the dishes that I've burned." Naruto chuckled. "It's all edible anyway."

As the evening progressed, Gaara found himself enjoying the unique way the girl looked at the world. He could still see that she was anxious about several things but she was steadily moving past it. "I had to admit that I was worried when you said that she had been in Orochimaru's keep when you found her." Gaara stated when Hisoka had gone to get ready for bed. "My experiences with children in general are limited."

Naruto laughed a bit as he answered, "I was scared as hell too. Then I realized how much she needed me and until a few days ago, I didn't realize just how badly she needed me."

"Does it bother you knowing that she's taking the Kyuubi's chakra from your body?" Gaara inquired.

"Not really. Don't tell anybody but Kyuubi's been saying that she only takes so much for herself and leaves the rest for him and me. From what I've been able to get him to tell me, the family had some kind of disagreement starting when the Bijuu first started getting sealed up." Naruto sighed a little as he scratched his head. "Now that Hisoka's popped up, he thinks that the ones that were captured will try harder to get away from the Akatsuki."

Gaara glanced towards the girl's bedroom suddenly having the feeling that she was letting them talk in private. "That topic hasn't really been addressed. What if they were to realize Hisoka's existence?" Gaara questioned. "Hasn't the Uchiha already tried to take Hisoka from you?"

"Sasuke-teme did, yeah."

"But not the older one."

"Not yet. They just might be waiting to kill two birds with one stone since Kyuubi thinks that she might be able to control Jubi."

The redhead stared at the blonde, seeing the solemn look in his eyes. "Do you think she'd be able to?" Gaara questioned.

Naruto shrugged a little before answering, "I don't know. I think she realizes that she's different from other people but she hasn't really figured out _why_ she's different. Taking demonic chakra is more of a subconscious thing and she's using that to defend herself and anybody with a Bijuu."

So she was essentially a Bijuu and Jinchuuriki guardian. "I can see why there are those that are nervous. I have no doubts that my father would have been eager to claim her life before it was decided."

"I don't think anybody's going to kill her. There's been people watching us until about fifteen minutes or so before you came over." Naruto responded simply. "If Hisoka noticed I don't know but I doubt it."

Before Gaara could respond, a blur of black and pink darted over and jumped onto his lap with a book and San in tow. "Read to me please?" Hisoka asked.

Gaara stared at the book in the girl's hand before giving Naruto a bewildered look. "It's something we started when she was in the hospital. After her shower and she's in her pajamas, she picks a story to have read to her. That's her favorite."

"And this is San!" Hisoka said with a pleased look. "Naruto gave him to me."

It was amusing to see the look of surprise on Gaara's face as he took the book only to have Hisoka nestle tightly against him, her thumb moving to her mouth as she clutched San tightly against her. As he began to read, Naruto watched as Hisoka's eyelids began to close. _"She thinks he's injured."_ Kyuubi told Naruto. _"It's kind of amusing and would be even more amusing if she wasn't using my chakra in an attempt to heal him."_

"She fell asleep."

Naruto looked at Gaara for a moment before looking down at Hisoka, almost amazed at how quickly she had fallen asleep. "Wow. Normally she doesn't fall asleep that quickly." Naruto laughed as he got up. "Hold on, I'll move her back to her bed."

"It's okay. I don't mind." Gaara said softly. "It feels… nice."

If it had been anybody other than Gaara, Naruto would have beaten them into a bloody pulp. Flopping back onto the couch the blonde laughed softly in understanding. "Won't this count as being a bit biased or something?" Naruto questioned.

"I'd be considered biased due to our friendship so it doesn't matter." Gaara stated calmly.

"I guess. So how are your duties as Kazekage been going?" Naruto questioned. "Your old bastards pushing for you to get married yet?"

Smiling faintly, Gaara began explaining the headaches that the council in Suna's been giving him knowing full well that the blonde would pay close attention.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I couldn't let the whole Gaara reading to a kid thing go without at least poking at it once and honestly think that it's just precious. For someone that thought he was going to set off an episode, he did fairly well at making her fall asleep quickly. Okay, so I'm gonna vanish until next week so I'll see you guys then! Read and review!<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I honestly wanted to do soo much with the Kages in this one chapter but it didn't turn out that great so the chapter got edited. Don't worry, there be a yelling match between Naruto and at least one of the Kages coming up so it's good. Here's the new chapter, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Fourteen<p>

"Just remember that you're expected to mind your manners. Answer their questions as honestly as possible regardless of if they feel bad or not."

"Why would they feel bad?" Hisoka questioned as she looked up at Naruto.

"I'm not saying that they would, I'm just saying that one or two of them might not feel like what you want them to." Naruto told the girl as they walked towards the Hokage Tower.

Hisoka nodded slightly before looking up, seeing that they were being followed. How come the ANBU officers were following them? "Am I going to go home, Naruto?" Hisoka asked finally.

"I have absolutely no idea."

_Eight. Eight. Eight._ Gray eyes looked towards the Hokage Tower as a strange feeling began swirling in her stomach. Her lower lip stuck out slightly as she tried to figure out how best to explain the feeling that was currently swirling around with the fire in her belly. "Oh! Before I forget, here's a present for you." Naruto said as if remembering something.

The two stopped and Hisoka's eyes widened in surprise when Naruto pulled out a small jacket from beneath his jacket. "Thank you." Hisoka said before noticing that her jacket had the same Uzumaki swirl on it that Naruto's did.

"It's not problem. I woulda had it orange but Sakura-chan threatened to beat me straight into hell if I did." Naruto chuckled. "I hope blue's okay."

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

Naruto grinned as he helped the girl put the jacket on, nearly laughing when they both realized the jacket was a little too big for her. "At least we know we won't be replacing the jacket in a couple months." Naruto laughed. "Come on, let's go see Granny Tsunade and everybody else."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

She knew that he would find a way to make it clear to everybody that Hisoka was part of his family even if there were no legal papers saying so and as Tsunade looked at the girl that now bore the Uzumaki swirl on her new jacket, it was almost enough to make her smile. "Good morning, Hisoka-chan." Tsunade said with a forced smile.

Hisoka beamed happily at Tsunade, clearly pleased to see the older woman. "Good morning, Lady Hokage. How are you?" Hisoka questioned politely.

"Very well, thank you."

Despite being raised by the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, it was clear that the girl had acceptable manners. "Good morning, little one. How are you doing this morning?" Lady Mizukage questioned.

"Fine, thank you. I'm sorry I'm not talking out loud and mouthing everything. I can sign but Naruto thought that somebody might think I'm making hand signs and want to hurt somebody."

Immediately the Tsuchikage raised an eyebrow and asked, "Can you do hand signs, little one?"

"Not really. Naruto said he was going to teach me when I'm a little older if I want to become a shinobi like him."

"Do you?" Lord Tsuchikage questioned.

"Very much."

There was an uneasiness as they looked at the little girl and saw the bright smile on her face. "Yes, well, are you aware of why we've come to see you?" Lady Mizukage questioned.

Hisoka's eyebrows furrowed slightly before she answered, "Naruto said it's because I'm special."

"That's right. You see, you're the very last of a very special family that we all had thought had died well before you were born." Lord Raikage stated. "You seem like an exceptionally bright child and it'd be a shame for your intelligence to go to waste."

Why would her intelligence go to waste? She wasn't doing anything that she didn't normally do other than talking to five grownups instead of just one or two. "Go ahead and take a seat, Hisoka-chan." Tsunade told her. "It's okay."

"I'm okay. One time the snake man made me stand for two days straight. If I sat down then he'd have a snake bite me." Hisoka fiddled with the hem of her jacket. "Is it bad that I'm happy he's dead?"

"No, it's not." Tsunade told her. "I think many people were happy when Sasuke killed him."

Hisoka nodded slightly before looking towards the door, her features suddenly showing surprise and confusion. "What is it?" Gaara questioned.

"Someone like Naruto's outside." Hisoka replied, her eyes remaining focused on the door. "He feels… sucky."

Her attention went back to them and she could see a look of anxiety on Lord Raikage's face. "You can feel him?" Lord Raikage questioned stiffly. "You can actually feel the Bijuu?"

Without hesitation, Hisoka nodded before she looked at the door again. "Hisoka?" Tsunade questioned.

The girl frowned slightly before taking a step towards the door. "You can't leave yet, Hisoka." Lady Mizukage told her.

Hisoka's eyes lingered on the door for another few moments before she looked at them again. "Hisoka, would you mind telling us about where you were born?" Gaara asked.

"In a tube." Hisoka responded simply.

"I have ANBU investigating the area as we speak." Tsunade told the other Kages. "They should be returning within the next few days with all of the information they were able to acquire."

There was a lack of interest in Hisoka's eyes as the five leaders discussed the circumstances surrounding the girl. "Can you tell us how Naruto's been taking care of you?" Gaara questioned.

"He takes really good care of me. The other people yelled at me and lied so Granny Tsunade told Naruto to take care of me. Now he wants to make me his daughter."

Hisoka was aware that Naruto wanted to adopt her? "For a moment I was almost convinced that the Jinchuuriki wasn't teaching the girl any of his bad habits. Now I see that he's taught the girl a bad habit." Lord Raikage told Tsunade. "Personally I don't see the possibility of the Jinchuuriki adopting someone with her talents."

"_Naruto_ is currently the only one that can take care of her without dropping her off in my office claiming that she's too much of a handful." Tsunade told them. "Hisoka, I want you to go outside. Tell Naruto that we'll be asking for him later today."

Hisoka nodded before running out of the room and jumped into Naruto's arms, nearly sending the blonde backwards. "Hey! What happened?" Naruto questioned.

"They're gonna argue. Granny Tsunade says they'll want to talk to you later." Hisoka responded simply as she snuggled close to Naruto. "The water lady wants to watch me. The lightening man isn't too sure."

"How about everyone else?"

"The earth man agrees with the water lady."

Naruto breathed a soft sigh of relief, knowing full well what that meant. "I can talk to my brother and make him see that she's not terrible." Killer Bee told the blonde.

"Thanks. Hisoka, this is Killer Bee." Naruto said with a grin.

The girl stared for a few moments before offering a small grin and bumping her knuckles against his. "Doesn't seem like much though." Killer Bee commented as he carefully looked over the girl. "But small packages can pack one hell of a bang, man. You look like you can already pack a punch."

"Hitting people is bad."

Killer Bee laughed before patting the girl on the head. "You're okay, kid. I'll let my brother know that you're practically harmless." Killer Bee laughed. "I'm not sensing anything terrible from you like he probably is. You're actually pretty comforting."

Wrapping her arms around Naruto's neck, Hisoka stared silently as the older man left the room. She could feel the anxiety that radiated off of them and stroked Naruto's blonde hair tenderly as if afraid that he'd abandon her due to his anxiety. "It's okay, Hi-Hi. I'm not going anywhere." Naruto told her softly. "I won't let anybody hurt you."

"What if Granny Tsunade says that you have to?"

"Then I'll ignore her and protect you." Naruto confirmed. "Even Killer Bee and Gaara will."

Even as he spoke those words, Naruto could feel more of Kyuubi's chakra being pushed from his body by the demon fox and into Hisoka. If push came to shove and Hisoka was alone, he knew that the most precious gift ever given to him would be safe until help was able to reach her.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I actually did get to the episode where Killer Bee was introduced (after screaming bloody murder at Sasuke for killing Deidara -I know he blew himself up but still Sasuke was involved- and Itachi) and I honestly start smiling when Killer Bee starts talking (don't know why) so I tried to get his speech in the story and that just set off so many "DO NOT DO THIS!" alarms that my fingers refused to type the words. I'm not the kind of girl that enjoys rap so I wouldn't be able to do any of Killer Bee's raps (even if they are questionable) without cringing and hiding from flying objects. So read and review!<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

lostmoonchild: Hello! Thanks for the review! Yes, I am supposed to be at work but boss lady got put on call so when that happens, lostmoonchild is on call which means chapters can get updated and I can watch Naruto Shippuuden Movie 4: The Lost Tower. I'd like to thank (if I've already thanked this person once before then I'm thanking you again) Victoriousvillian for giving me Hisoka's mother's name... even if it was done in a case of spelling check typos.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Fifteen<p>

Anko's hands trembled as she stared at the yellowed pages, her eyes holding shock and fear at the contents of the pages. Those children had been meant to survive no matter what while only one child was meant to have died. Somehow though, the one meant to die had lived while the others had died.

Everything that would be required was tucked safely into nine folders. Names, birth dates, names of their parents…even the Bijuu the child was meant to control. She had no interest in the deceased children though she wondered how anybody that wasn't as messed up as Orochimaru could even dream of putting an innocent baby into such a state.

The one that survived hadn't even been considered for this experiment or whatever it was. According to the notes, the child's mother had begged (although she was fairly certain _threatened_ was a better term) until her request was granted. The child's name had been blurred by a leak as well as the father's first name. The last name of the father, however, was one she couldn't ignore for the life of her. Tucking the reports safely into a bag, Anko turned to the other ANBU members. "Let's go. Destroy everything so if Uchiha Sasuke gets any bright ideas to attempt to copy this nightmare, he'll be rendered useless." Anko ordered.

As she ventured up the stairs, she ignored the sound of flames roaring and shattering glass. Ten children whose parents had all chosen to put them into a comatose state until the few who could manipulate their talents had all lost their true futures. Out of the ten, only one survived and now faced a fate possibly worse than death.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He knew that they were being watched and it was beginning to annoy him. "Hisoka, hold still. I don't want your hair to get tangled up again when you go play with the Nara kids." Naruto scolded softly.

"W-A-T-C-H-I-N-G." Hisoka spelled as she squirmed again.

"Yes, I know people are watching and it's making you uncomfortable. Just let me tie your hair back and then we can be on our way."

Forcing herself to stand still, Hisoka felt Naruto pulling gently on her hair as he tied it back into a simple ponytail. "Turn around a minute." Naruto told her.

Hisoka turned and grinned brightly at Naruto as he fussed over her bangs, moving them so they were gently framing her face. He knew most guys probably didn't care much about hair and that his guy friends would give him crap over even fussing so much but he couldn't deny that his girl friends all thought it was sweet that he was even learning different hairstyles that extended past a ponytail and pigtails. "Done?" Hisoka questioned.

"Yep, we're done. Let's get going."

Jumping around in circles, Hisoka darted over to the door only to fall down and blink in surprise. "Don't make yourself so dizzy then." Naruto laughed as he pulled her to her feet. "Shoes on."

As soon as they had their shoes on, the two left the apartment with Naruto laughing when Hisoka would start spinning around. "She seems extra excited today." Shikamaru sighed before taking a drag of his cigarette. "Yukimaru's been waiting impatiently."

Hisoka wrinkled her nose at the smell before grinning brightly at the boy that stood near the older shinobi. "Good morning, Yuki-kun." Hisoka said brightly, pressing the boy's fingers gently against her lips.

"Good morning, Hisoka-chan." Yukimaru replied pleasantly.

Neither one could really understand how exactly Yukimaru could read Hisoka's lips simply by using his fingers but it was a system that worked for the two. They knew the boy knew how to finger spell thanks to Shikamaru actually taking the time to show the boy but for some reason the two just preferred having Yukimaru's fingers against Hisoka's lips. "Okay, go play." Naruto told the two. "Just stay where we can see you."

Without any complaints, the two children grabbed the other's hand before running to play on the swings. "The ANBU that were dispatched to the former Whirlpool Country just got back early this morning." Shikamaru commented as they watched Hisoka push Yukimaru on the swings.

"And?"

"So far they've got the first name of her mother. Mishima Kairi. I asked Yuki's father and he actually remembers her well enough to say that she was pretty hardheaded when it came to doing stuff." The teenager breathed in the soothing smoke. "From the records surrounding Mishima, it's safe to say that she was a bit like Hinata."

"Weird?"

Shikamaru gave Naruto an exasperated look before answering as he dropped the cigarette and put it out, "Low self confidence, you idiot. Every time that Mishima fought for something that was right, her entire clan would shun her for days. When she got pregnant with Hisoka, which was the final straw. The clan essentially kicked her out and the one person she could have gone to had been brought to Konoha."

"So if her mother had been kicked out, why would they put Hisoka in that damn tube?"

"The woman was ingenious scary and they felt that rather than make her mad at them, they'd go along with preserving the clan even if the one being put in stasis was the daughter of the exiled Kairi. They all thought that Hisoka would die."

Naruto's eyes reflected his feelings towards the subject as he watched Hisoka and Yukimaru start wrestling, their eyes dancing with excitement. "What about her father? Do they know who he was?"

"They don't know his first name. They just know his last."

"What was it?"

"I don't know. That troublesome woman caught me and threatened to blow me halfway across the village if I didn't get going."

While Naruto knew that he could take the comment and turn it into something perverted, his heart just wasn't in it. A mother shunned for becoming pregnant with a child that was already so special, a child put in stasis for the sole reason of preserving the clan. "Hold on a minute." Naruto said with a small frown. "I thought that if you were put in stasis, everything froze and you didn't grow or anything?"

"Apparently sometime after they were all put in stasis, something went wrong and all ten began to grow again."

"So assuming that she was put in the tube when she was a baby, it happened about five years ago?"

Sometimes Shikamaru wondered if Naruto understood more than what they were giving him credit for and as they continued their discussion, the Nara found himself wondering more and more about the blonde's true mental strengths. Did he truly understand everything but his brain functions were moving too fast for him to actually make connections? The Naruto he had known before would have just made a face and acted like he understood it before telling the person to explain it to somebody else. Was this the real Naruto and the other one was just someone that was made to throw everybody else off?

Deciding it'd be too troublesome to even bother with, Shikamaru lit up another cigarette before turning his attention back to his cousin and Hisoka. They belonged with each other; it seemed, with Hisoka's muteness and Yukimaru's blindness. Their worlds were defined by what they couldn't do but together, their worlds became one and they were able to take a glimpse of the world that they longed for.

"Uzumaki!"

Naruto turned around and made a face when he saw one of the ANBU members. "What? Hisoka's not doing anything other than playing with Yukimaru." Naruto told the ANBU member.

"Your presence is immediately requested in Lady Hokage's office."

Oh cripes. What'd he do this time? Naruto sighed a little before calling Hisoka over. "I gotta go see Granny Tsunade about something." Naruto told her. "You stay here with Shika and I'll catch up later."

"Are you in trouble?"

"I don't know, sweetheart." Naruto replied softly. "Don't worry, I'll catch up with you guys later."

There was worry in her eyes and Naruto sighed softly as he felt the familiar pull then push of Kyuubi's chakra as he and the ANBU member retreated to Tsunade's office. "Hisoka-chan, it'll be okay." Shikamaru stated calmly. "You know that Naruto's a good shinobi."

Opening her mouth slightly, Hisoka slipped her thumb into her mouth and sucked softly on the digit. Naruto _would_ be okay. She didn't know anybody else whose chakra alone could practically scream his displeasure across the village. The first time that had happened, the second family she had been placed with had thrown her back into Tsunade's office that night saying that she had destroyed their house, which was a complete lie.

She had only destroyed the living room and half the kitchen after the full force of Naruto's angry chakra had reached her.

Looking at Yukimaru with a look of surprise etched onto her features when he grasped her hand, Hisoka smiled brightly. She'd just keep an eye on that red chakra she'd get from Naruto and even keep tabs on those other two people. If she could do that then she was absolutely certain that they'd see she was worth keeping around until the day they decided she was no longer useful.

After all, the one thing she had learned very well while being Orochimaru's prisoner was that useless things were destroyed and the best way to continue on was to remain useful one way or another.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, and that's a wrap for this week! I don't remember if I have to work next Friday (forgot to write my schedule down in my book) so the next update will be as soon as possible. So read and review and we will all see what the name was that Anko cannot ignore and the reason why Tsunade wants to see Naruto. Ja ne!<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I know, I'm a day late with the update and I have no excuse. This is just a head's up, there will be a case or two of yaoi in this story. I'll give a head's up which chapter(s) has yaoi smut but there will be hetero smut in here too.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own a chocolate chip cookie that I'm enjoying.

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><p>Chapter Sixteen<p>

"This had better be important, Granny Tsunade!" Naruto protested as he entered Tsunade's office. "I've got a five year old convinced there's something wrong."

"Where is Hisoka?"

"On a play date with Yukimaru Nara." Naruto said simply. "Shikamaru's got her at the moment so it's all good."

"We need to do a blood comparison." Tsunade told Naruto with a solemn look. "You don't have a choice."

"What the hell for?"

Lord Raikage raised an eyebrow as he watched the blonde immediately get defensive and saw the tints of red leaking into his azure eyes. "Settle down before I make you." Tsunade warned the Jinchuuriki.

"I'm not letting anybody take her away from me! You know full well that if Hisoka isn't around anybody with even the barest traces of demonic chakra she'll go back to a walking skeleton and may actually die!" Naruto shouted.

"Just sit down and shut up!"

Naruto crossed his arms as he plopped down onto a chair, irritation showing on his features. "There's a reason we need a blood test done. If the results confirm what's written down, then it could possibly save Hisoka." Gaara stated calmly.

Immediately interest showed on Naruto's face, letting them know that they had his undivided attention. "Well why didn't you say that before?" Naruto questioned. "So what's the idea? I mean, what could be in my blood that's so important it could possibly save Hisoka?"

It truly was a miracle that he had survived this long. "We've retrieved some important and highly unsettling documents from the former Whirlpool Country where Hisoka had been born." Tsunade told him. "As you may have already heard before, the Uzumaki clan was originally from Whirlpool."

"Yeah, sure. Some of the older shinobi still compare destroyed villages to Whirlpool." Naruto told them. "So?"

"Hisoka's mother didn't have a reputation as a kunoichi. Instead, she had a reputation as a genius."

"_The woman was ingenious scary and they felt that rather than make her mad at them, they'd go along with preserving the clan even if the one being put in stasis was the daughter of the exiled Kairi. They all thought that Hisoka would die." _Naruto remembered Shikamaru commenting. When he had asked about Hisoka's father, the lazy genius didn't know.

"Okay, so Hisoka's mother was a genius. So are Neji, Shikamaru, and Kakashi, right? It's not like her brain's going to rot being around me."

"While her mother's ingenious mind is something that was to be feared, our interest is more in Hisoka's biological father."

"That's where you come in." Gaara told his friend. "Hisoka was apparently sired by a member of the Uzumaki clan according to her birth certificate."

While he was impressed that his almost daughter even _had _a birth certificate, Naruto was even more impressed by the knowledge that she may actually be a blood relative. _"That would actually explain what the final straw was for the Kairi clan regarding Mishima."_ Kyuubi commented. _"I've seen both families around each other and they generally didn't get along very well. If an Uzumaki did indeed impregnate Mishima, she would have faced either aborting the pregnancy to save her pride or getting kicked out. From the sounds of her treatment, however, it seems she felt no pride for being a Kairi so her pregnancy continued."_

"So basically because my last name is Uzumaki, I need to give up some blood or spit or whatever just to confirm that Hisoka's dad was some relative of mine which would make Hisoka a cousin or something."

"A distant cousin perhaps."

He could already hear the clans in Konoha complaining and from the look on Tsunade's face, she could already hear it too. "Go ahead." Naruto told them. "Even if I did have a choice, I'd still choose to do that test."

Tsunade gave the teenager a weary sigh before saying, "Naruto, I want to hear your opinion regarding Hisoka's current situation."

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"You want my opinion over the whole having her judged?"

"Yes."

Naruto stared blankly for a moment before answering, "I honestly think it's complete bullshit. It's like saying I'm Kyuubi or Killer Bee's Hachibi. Hisoka feels their chakra as easily as she feels remnants of Ichibi's chakra. She thinks that Gaara's injured so she's been directing most of the chakra she's been getting to him."

That'd explain a lot regarding his energy levels. "I think the main concern, Naruto, is when she becomes an adult." Gaara told the blond. "You and I know she will not remain a child forever."

"I know that!" Naruto squinted his eyes as he thought. "The only person I think she'll actually attempt to kill is Sasuke-teme."

Tsunade could have told anybody that one. "Be at the hospital in half an hour to have the DNA test done. If I have to send ANBU just to collect you then you'll be stuck on D-ranked missions until I decide you've suffered enough."

"What? Even one year's worth of D-ranked missions wouldn't pay enough just to keep her stomach filled!" Naruto shouted. "Anybody that's ever seen that girl eat knows she can pack food away like nobody's business!"

"That's my point exactly. All of the pay from those D-ranked missions would go towards her stomach and you wouldn't be able to get more than one bowl of ramen a month."

It was a low blow but the look in Naruto's eyes told her that he hadn't even thought of being late before her threat. She had just needed to ensure that he wouldn't attempt to pull a Kakashi and be two or three hours late. "Fine. We'll be there in half an hour." Naruto huffed.

Tsunade smiled as they watched the blonde leave the room in a flurry of leaves, knowing full well that the blonde was annoyed. "Now that that's taken care of, after the test is complete we'll vote."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Sakura was silent as she stared at the results of the DNA test a few hours later, shock numbing her entire body. She couldn't deny that she hadn't had a suspicion on some subconscious level but to see proof was an entirely different feeling. She didn't know how the results would affect the outcome of the vote but she knew for certain that there would perhaps be more hesitation.

Composing herself, Sakura tucked the results into a folder before rubbing her forehead. "I take it the results are in." A voice commented.

"Hey, Sai." Sakura replied. "Yeah, they're in."

"And I trust it turned out well for Dickless?"

She wasn't even going to bother getting after him for the crude nickname. "I honestly didn't believe it so I had the test run again." Sakura told him.

Sai stepped into the pinkette's office and sat down on the corner of her desk, dark eyes studying the conflicted green. "You are worried?" Sai guessed.

Sakura smiled faintly before answering, "Office politics can get rather nasty, Sai. They get even nastier when clans are involved."

"But the only two clans involved are the Uzumaki and Kairi clans." Sai stated simply. "I don't see how it would affect any others."

"It's politics. What can get involved will." Sakura summed up simply.

Sai didn't say anything for a moment as he stared at Sakura. He couldn't deny that she was fairly attractive and just seeing the look of relieved worry on her face made him want to hold her. "I believe that it is customary to offer a comforting gesture when one sees that another is worried or upset about something." Sai stated.

Alarms went off in Sakura's head as Sai cautiously and awkwardly hugged her, clearly trying to soothe what shock she felt. "Y-You hugged me!" Sakura shouted at Sai when the raven pulled away.

"I believe that's what it's called."

"You hugged me!"

"Yes, I believe we've established that."

_Bam!_

Dark eyes blinked in surprise as Sai watched Sakura's fist shake. He could see the furious blush on her cheeks as Sakura hurriedly grabbed the folder from the desk. "I was under the impression that women enjoyed being held." Sai commented as he rubbed his sore cheek.

"Usually by a lover!"

Sai blinked a couple more times, his mind trying to understand Sakura's reasoning. "By 'lover' you mean one that shares a sexual or romantic interest?" Sai questioned.

"Yes!"

"So would you consider me as a possible lover?"

She was going to beat him within an inch of his life if he didn't stop right then and there. "Sai, drop the subject right now." Sakura sighed. "We'll talk about it later. Are you going to be home tonight?"

"Yes."

"We'll talk about it tonight then. I'll see you there?"

Coming to the official conclusion that women were a confusing species, Sai nodded and watched as the woman left the room in a hurry. Having the feeling that when a woman said that they'd talk about something that they viewed as important, it was a good idea to have a plan to prevent things from getting out of control. Now he just needed to see if any of his books had any excellent ideas for diffusing whatever situation he might be facing.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Sai's just so cute when he's trying to understand stuff. It's almost like watching a child that's just figuring out the names to what he's feeling. I'm thinking that Sai and Sakura will have a romantic interest (I personally find them adorable together) whereas Naruto... I'm not sure yet. I think the closest he'd probably get to a romantic interest is a friends with benefits relationship but that's subject to change. Anyway, read and review!<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

lostmoonchild: Yay reviews! I was surprised at both reviews regarding how closely Naruto and Hisoka are related and I honestly haven't given it any thought. We'll have to see just how closely they're related although now I'm grinning so that's a heads up. Oh, and before I forget to mention, on August 9th I'll be giving a special update since it'll be my birthday so next week will be seeing two updates.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventeen<p>

Naruto said nothing as he held Hisoka in his arms, feeling the little girl's legs wrap around his waist as she sat on his hip with her arms holding onto him. There was silent curiosity on her features before a bored yawn would leave her lips. Did she feel that the test they had taken only hours ago was important or had she simply thought of it as something that needed to be done to answer some other boring question? "Come on, what'd the results say?" Naruto demanded.

"We've made our choice, Naruto." Tsunade told the blonde. "I want you to remember that regardless of your personal feelings, you are to do as you are told."

Hisoka looked at Naruto for a moment before offering him a bright smile. She could feel the anxiety rolling off of him and lightly patted a whiskered cheek before hugging him tightly. "Great. What is it?" Naruto questioned.

"First off, we've received the results of the DNA test." Tsunade handed the blonde Hisoka's birth certificate. "This appears to be telling the truth. She is a member of the Uzumaki clan."

Naruto felt his heart soar as he spun Hisoka around, laughter leaving his lips. He didn't care that there was something in Tsunade's eyes that said there was something strange about the results. As far as he was concerned, it was just something trivial. "You hear that, Hi-Hi? We're actually related!" Naruto laughed before throwing the girl up into the air and catching her again.

Hisoka laughed and clapped her hands excitedly, her entire face lit up with excitement. "Hold on a minute, Naruto. You might want to hear what we've decided." Tsunade told him.

Naruto stopped and held the girl tightly against him, his anxiety returning full force. They couldn't possibly still want to kill Hisoka knowing that she was related to him. Didn't they think that he could keep her from doing everything that her family had done in the past? "What'd you decide?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"We've decided that Hisoka will continue to be monitored for the next ten years. She will continue to receive therapy and copies of her sessions will be sent for the other leaders to review. The moment she uses her abilities against any of Konoha's allies is the moment that our decision to watch and wait will turn into an elimination."

Hisoka watched Naruto's face, seeing the anxiety shift to relief back to anxiety. She knew what elimination meant and could see on their faces that they really didn't want to be forced into that option. Biting her lip, Hisoka furrowed her eyebrows for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

"I…"

Everybody's eyes fell on the girl upon hearing the hoarse voice, seeing the girl's chest rising and falling rapidly as she shook in Naruto's arms from fear. "Hisoka-chan?" Tsunade questioned.

"I don't…" Tears gathered in Hisoka's eyes as she gripped Naruto's jacket tightly. "I don't want…"

"It's okay." Naruto soothingly murmured. "You're okay."

Taking a deep breath, Hisoka closed her eyes tightly before shouting as loud as she could, "I don't want to die! I want…" Her chest hitched for a moment from her fear before she was able to force herself to start again. "I want to protect my daddy! I want to protect Naruto!"

Naruto adjusted the girl in his arms, feeling her tears as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. They could hear her sobs as she cried in fear and frustration. "You did good." Naruto murmured as he bounced her slightly in his arms. "Shh, it's okay."

They stared at the crying girl in shock, none of them having ever heard her voice before. Tsunade knew that over the course of the past year, Hisoka had experienced several bouts of frustration but none of them had ever actually made her say anything. She had always depended on her hands and lips to communicate with the world around her but here she was crying in Naruto's arms after vocally shouting her want.

"Hisoka."

The crying girl pried her face from Naruto's neck and looked at Tsunade, soft hiccups leaving her lips. They could all see the fear in her eyes as if she was afraid she had done something terrible. "You called Naruto your father. Is it your wish to be adopted by him knowing that you're already blood related?" Tsunade questioned.

Immediately Hisoka nodded, her thumb retreating into her mouth as she pressed herself against Naruto. It was clear to them that they had been fortunate enough to hear the girl shout three sentences and that if they were to hear her say anything else, they'd be extremely fortunate. Her lack of verbal communication clearly came from being with Orochimaru for so long and perhaps never having human contact upon leaving stasis. "Can I take her home now?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Go ahead." Tsunade confirmed. "I'll have the papers ready for you to sign tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you." Naruto nudged Hisoka's cheek with his nose. "What'cha say?"

Pulling her thumb from past her lips, Hisoka bit her bottom lip before mouthing, "Thank you."

Oh yeah, they'd be extremely fortunate to hear Hisoka's voice again in the near future. As they watched the two leave the room, Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "I don't know about any of you but I'm heading for a drink. Any takers?" The busty Hokage glanced at the others.

"A drink sounds very relaxing at the moment."

With only two declinations, Tsunade couldn't help but feel as if some great weight had been lifted from her shoulders and all was right again. She just hoped that at no time within the next ten years would the need to have the girl's life taken ever arise.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Sai, what is this?"

Sakura eyed the table carefully, seeing that the pale shinobi had an elaborate dinner set out for them. "I believe when a woman says that she wishes to discuss something important…" Sai trailed off upon receiving a look that told him that he had once again missed something.

While it was tempting to hit him, Sakura couldn't help but smile to herself. The raven was at least trying which was a far cry from what Sasuke ever did. "It looks great, Sai." Sakura told him honestly. "Not exactly what our talk really calls for but it's the thought that counts."

He was fairly certain he had missed something now. The situation didn't call for an elaborate meal, at least not what Sakura wanted to talk to him about, but still she said it looked great and was actually sitting down. "Flowers were recommended but I didn't think that it would be wise to ask around for your favorite flowers." Sai told her lamely.

Sakura smiled and laughed softly, knowing that Ino would have spread at least a dozen rumors around within an hour if Sai had gone to the flower shop. "Probably not." Sakura agreed. "You asked me earlier if I would consider you as a…" Her cheeks turned a delicate shade of red at the memory.

"If you would consider me a possible lover." Sai said bluntly.

"Yeah. You see, Sai, we're teammates and that could mess up team dynamics." She was hiding behind the reasons why teammates didn't get involved with each other and they both knew it.

"I see. So it would be different if it was with Emo-sama because he is a former teammate and a traitor whereas I am a current teammate." Sai stated simply. "From what Naruto has, I believe the term is, bitched about regarding Emo-sama, Sasuke did not share your interest."

He wasn't going to let her hide behind rules and regulations. He was going to make her see that while he knew he was emotionally stunted, he could and would treat her better than Sasuke ever did. Some men, he learned from the various male shinobi he interacted with, apparently made many women want to give up on men all together. Sasuke Uchiha, Sai felt, was the worst of those men but if he could make Sakura see that then maybe men in general could be redeemed in her eyes.

"Sai, that's not fair." Sakura sighed. "That's completely-"

"No, it's not different. You've seen what he's done with your own eyes and you've even seen with your eyes what I've been doing but still you choose him." Sai told her. "I may not be able to fully recognize emotions but I can see plain as day that he does not want you."

"Sai…"

"Give me a chance to show you that you are too good for the Uchiha. Let me have my chance." Sai pressed. "Please."

She couldn't deny that her heart had been crying for her to give up on her unrequited love and as she stared into Sai's dark eyes, she could see that same unrequited love in his. _Try me._ His eyes cried out to her. _Why won't you give me a chance?_ Why wasn't she?

Closing her eyes for a moment to soothe her nerves, Sakura took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes and looking at them. "Okay. If you want we can consider this our first date." Sakura told him. "And for future reference, I like lilies."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto dozed as he sat on the couch, weary from the day's events. They had just barely gotten home when Hisoka grabbed San from her room and hid behind a chair as if afraid she'd get yelled at just for talking.

She actually said her first words since he found her and she was entirely convinced that he didn't want her to say anything. He had tried for the next few hours to get her to talk again but her lips were firmly shut, her eyes pleading for him to stop whatever game she thought he was playing. Finally he relented and got dinner ready, reminding her that he wasn't going to be serving her dinner behind the chair. He halfway expected her just to decide to skip her dinner but was relieved when she came out long enough to eat before retreating back to her 'hiding' place.

What in the hell had been done before when she actually talked? Had somebody saw it their responsibility to beat the shit out of her if she said anything or had she thought that if she said nothing that Orochimaru and his followers would leave her alone? Maybe both had happened. She had been so panicked when she forced herself to talk that he had been convinced that she was going to hyperventilate.

The blonde jolted back to consciousness when he heard knocking on the door, his body moving before his brain had a chance to really catch up with it. "Gaara! What're you doing here?" Naruto questioned when he answered the door. "Come on in."

Gaara stepped into the apartment, his teal eyes focusing on the blonde for a moment. "I thought you'd be celebrating." Gaara said with the barest traces of a smile.

"If Hisoka wasn't convinced she was in trouble just for talking, we'd probably be out celebrating with a few friends." Naruto confirmed.

"She thinks she's in trouble?"

"Yeah." Naruto flopped back on to the couch, a weary sigh leaving his lips. "The only thing I can think of is that Sasuke and the snake bastard were involved."

Gaara calmly took a seat and glanced towards Hisoka's room before looking at Naruto with a patient look. He could probably count on one hand how many times he had seen such weariness in the blonde's eyes. "Then this is something that you both will have to overcome." Gaara replied.

"Yeah." Naruto's eyes were focused for a couple of minutes. "Hey, Gaara, I got a question for you."

"What?"

"You can say no if you don't want to but I'm planning on asking Kakashi too if you do say no and I'd feel a lot better since Kakashi's a ninja too and you're the Kazekage so it's not like you'd be sent out on painfully dangerous missions." Naruto said with a forced grin.

What in the world could Naruto be asking him that he was going to ask Kakashi if he were to refuse? "Well?" Gaara questioned.

"Would you be willing to be Hisoka's godfather?"

The redhead stared for a moment, trying to discern whether or not the blonde was joking around. "You are aware of my past, Naruto, and you're trusting me with somebody that I know is precious to you?" Gaara questioned.

"Yeah. I mean, there's only Killer Bee and me left that have the Bijuu and I'm not going to pretend that there's not a chance they could actually get us." Naruto ran his fingers through his hair. "I'd just feel better knowing that Hi-Hi's taken care of."

He couldn't even begin to imagine how painful this must have been to face a possible reality and set up arrangements in the event that the possibility did become reality. "You're serious." Gaara said with a tone of surprise.

"Yeah. I mean I know Kakashi could take care of Hisoka but he gets sent on so many high ranking missions…"

"I'd be honored."

Azure eyes stared at teal for a moment in disbelief, clearly expecting there to be some kind of argument. "Seriously? You'd actually be Hisoka's godfather?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes."

A cheerful yell left Naruto's lips as he tackled the Kazekage, sending them both to the floor. "Get off." Gaara sighed as he pushed against the blonde's forehead.

"Hehe, sorry. You have no idea how happy you've made me."

Now he knew for certain that he couldn't hope to count on both hands how many times he had seen the unrestrained joy in Naruto's eyes. He was just fairly certain this was the first time Naruto had ever tackled him in pure joy. "You do realize, however, that there may be those that won't appreciate the fact that a Konoha shinobi chose to have the Kazekage as his daughter's godfather." Gaara stated simply.

"Fuck them."

Gaara couldn't help but smile at the blonde's attitude, his teal eyes dancing with some excitement. "You do realize that you both will have to visit sometime soon." Gaara told his friend.

"Hell yeah." Naruto's excitement seemed to fill the entire apartment and the redhead was impressed that Hisoka hadn't woken up and checked to see what was going on. "Hey, Gaara, I got only one request though."

"What is it?"

"Don't let Kankuro teach her how to use those damn puppets."

While it was tempting to remind the blonde that puppetry was common in Suna, Gaara couldn't blame the hyperactive ninja any. Smiling ever so faintly, Gaara nodded. "Agreed."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I actually admit to sitting back and thinking carefully about the whole godfather thing for about an hour before deciding that Gaara would probably be the best option out of all the people Naruto knows. Anyway, I'll poke at who Hisoka's father is and how in the world that happened. So anyway, read and review!<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

lostmoonchild: Hello! Here's this week's first update since I'm proud to announce that it's my birthday (no paramedics and/or cops will be needed again this year due to my working today) so as a present to you all, two chapters this week! Thanks for the reviews, I found one of them actually rather funny due to an unintended pun that was pointed out, and I hope this chapter brings some interesting reviews too!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Eighteen<p>

Naruto didn't need to open his eyes to know that Hisoka had just entered his room and smiled to himself as he sensed her approaching cautiously. "Five more minutes." Naruto mumbled when he felt the girl's small hands shake his arm.

He heard a sigh leave her lips as her hands dropped, feeling her eyes on him for a moment or two. He peeked at her and saw that she had turned to leave but before she could take a step, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto the bed. "Good morning, Hi-Hi." Naruto said with a grin. "Did I surprise you?"

Hisoka grinned at him, all traces of her fear from the previous day gone. "No!" Hisoka grinned.

Naruto felt his heart clench tightly in his chest upon realizing that she wasn't using her voice again. Tucking his blanket around the both of them, Naruto pressed his forehead against hers. "I wanna talk to you about something, Hi-Hi." Naruto told her. "I swear that you're not in trouble and I don't want you to think that I'm ever going to abandon you. Understand?"

Immediately Hisoka nodded. "Because I talked?" Hisoka asked, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm actually pretty happy you talked yesterday." Naruto told her. "I just don't understand why you got upset when you did."

The girl's face showed her fear before she buried her face in his shirt. "Was it something Sasuke or Orochimaru said or did?" Naruto asked carefully. "You know they can't hurt you anymore."

"T-They liked it when I-I screamed." Hisoka's eyes looked desperately into his as she spoke, causing the blonde to inwardly flinch at the softness of her voice. "I th-thought if I didn't s-scream… th-they'd leave me alone. Th-then I tried t-to tell… tell them to stop a-and…" She held her breath for a moment before looking at him. "S-Sasuke sa-said that talking wa-was b-b-bad."

Naruto hugged the girl softly as he murmured soft words of comfort. "Talking isn't bad, Hi-Hi." Naruto told her. "I want you to be comfortable enough that you can talk. I want you to be able to tell me whatever crosses your mind."

Hisoka clung to him as she listened to him talk softly. He wasn't mad that she had talked. He wanted her to talk to them so they could hear what was going on in her mind. There was nothing to be afraid of if she did decide to tell them about whatever she thought. "I…" She fought the urge to cower as she forced her underused voice to work again. "I…"

Naruto watched her with tender eyes, his entire face encouraging her to keep trying. "It's okay, Hi-Hi." Naruto told her.

"I'm hungry."

The blonde started laughing as he threw the blankets back. "Then let's get some food!" Naruto said with a laugh. "See, Hisoka, I'm not upset."

Having the feeling that everything would be okay if she did talk, Hisoka nodded and smiled brightly. "Are they really going to watch me for the next ten years?" Hisoka asked softly.

"Yeah. So I've been doing some thinking since they said that and if you really do want to become a kunoichi then I can enroll you into the academy in four months." Naruto told her.

"Really? I can become a kunoichi?"

"Yeah. You just need to promise you'll be safe and do your absolute best."

"I promise."

"Okay. Hurry up and eat. After breakfast we'll burn off that extra chakra."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He had come to Konoha believing that he would be playing a part in a child's death and would be leaving with the knowledge that he was now that child's godfather. Gaara could only imagine how his siblings would respond especially considering that they had both been furious when they discovered that a child might die. Now when he went home he could honestly tell them that the child was now his goddaughter.

Gaara couldn't deny that he understood the blonde's reasoning behind having him serve as Hisoka's godfather. As a former Jinchuuriki, Gaara still possessed some of Shukaku's chakra as well as traces of Kyuubi's chakra, which was perfect for a child that required small bits of survive. The only other person that would have been a candidate was Hachibi's Jinchuuriki but he could understand why exactly Naruto was determined to avoid the Raikage.

The redheaded Kazekage barely listened to the conversation that was currently taking place, knowing it was dealing with improving relationships between the countries. He didn't really want to be sitting in Tsunade's office but what could he do? The duties to his people came before his own personal wants.

Suddenly there was a piercing flare of chakra that sent them flying to their feet, instincts yelling at them to defend themselves. Their attention went to the busty Hokage upon hearing the sigh that left her lips. "Hisoka." Tsunade explained simply. "If the amount of demonic chakra gets too high for Naruto's comfort then he'll take her to a training ground. We can go if you all would like to see."

Nobody said a word as Tsunade led them to the training field to where the two were, a small smile showing on Tsunade's lips when they saw Naruto helping Hisoka up. "Nice try. Just back off a little bit and maybe you won't make such a huge bang." Naruto laughed.

"Not funny!"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow in surprise when she heard Hisoka's voice, wondering if the girl was going to be as talkative as Naruto or if she was going to be somewhat quiet. "Sure it is. Take a look over there. You made a large enough explosion that the Kages came to check it out." Naruto laughed.

It was pointless to hide from the blonde at this exact moment when he knew full well they had been watching. "What happened?" Gaara asked.

"She got a little too excited with the Bijuu chakra." Naruto laughed. "We're focusing on making creatures to defend herself with."

"I make kitties." Hisoka said with a grin. "I'm trying to make a fox but they're tricky buttheads." Her eyes went back to Naruto. "Kyuu-chan's laughing at me, Daddy!"

So this what he would be looking forward to if something were to ever happen to Naruto? Gaara nodded slightly, watching as the girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Focus the chakra." Naruto told her. "Your teachers are gonna be telling you the same thing but for right now we're going to focus on the demon chakra. I'll let your teachers handle your normal chakra. Remember that each chakra feels different so separate them."

"Okay."

They watched as the red chakra slowly formed around the child, attempting to take a shape. There was a look of absolute concentration etched onto her features as the chakra creature began to take on more defining characteristics. "Okay, I'm going to make a shadow clone now and I'm going to make it look like Sasuke-teme."

Hisoka's eyes shot open as Naruto made the clone, her entire face contorting in fear. "Naruto, stop it." Tsunade ordered.

The Sasuke clone moved towards Hisoka, vanishing in a puff of smoke when the creature attacked before it imploded and sending the girl back onto the ground. "Why can't I do it? I see a shadow clone that looks like him and it blows up after making it go away!" Hisoka shouted in frustration.

"It takes practice." Naruto said with a tender smile. "Don't worry about it. We'll try again tomorrow."

"But I wanna keep going!"

"Anymore and you'll be going to the hospital for chakra exhaustion. Again."

The girl was determined, that much was for certain. "Just what exactly made you think to do this exercise with her?" Lord Raikage questioned.

"Hi-Hi needed a way to vent and needs to learn control so it works both ways." Naruto said with a small shrug. "Later today we'll start touching weapon and taijutsu training. I don't care if her mother was a Kairi, I'm making sure my daughter knows how to defend herself."

Tsunade put a hand on the girl's head when she was given a hug and looked down into the girl's excited gray eyes. "Good morning, Hisoka-chan." Tsunade said with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning!"

Hisoka frowned slightly upon realizing that her voice had gone silent again. "Feeling happy today?" Tsunade questioned.

"Very. Daddy says I can go to school to be a kunoichi but we gotta get that red chakra I keep taking from him under control so I don't hurt no one."

Naruto's cheeks turned slightly pink when the girl's voice came back long enough to say "daddy" before falling silent again. He couldn't deny that while he was about to become her father, it was still strange hearing someone call him that. "Well, _Daddy_," Tsunade said as Hisoka moved to give Gaara a big hug, "you'd better be thinking about which last name you want Hisoka to have and don't forget that you're expected in my office this afternoon."

"Yeah, yeah. I haven't forgotten."

Gaara patted the girl's head and watched with amusement as she began spinning around as fast as she could before she fell down. The redhead allowed himself to smile at the child's antics before he nodded slightly to Naruto, his eyes conveying a silent message as Hisoka scrambled back to her feet. "Are you okay?" Gaara asked as he looked at the girl after Naruto nodded slightly in understanding.

"I'm okay! I like spinning!"

It was almost like she was relearning how to talk. He could see that behind the fear she felt, there was amusement. Gaara smiled faintly as he patted the girl on the head, watching as she darted back over to Naruto. "C'mon, Hi-Hi, we'd better make sure Kakashi-sensei doesn't try getting out of babysitting duty tonight."

"His apartment smells like dog! He's gonna call that little pug thing again, I just know it!"

"Would you rather stay with Kiba? You're gonna be put on missions with somebody that has a dog-nin when you're older so you might as well get used to the idea now."

A look of frustration left Hisoka's lips as she looked at Naruto with a look that told them all she didn't like the idea one bit. "Fine." Hisoka sighed. "I don't like it though."

"I know and I really don't care." Naruto told her. "Besides, you should be grateful Kakashi's been trying to get you used to little dogs cause I know for a fact he has a freaking huge one."

Maybe she could put up with the little dog if Naruto was telling the truth about Kakashi having a large dog. Sighing, the girl pouted softly before watching as the Kages left the area to return to their meeting. "They really don't know what to think yet, do they?" Hisoka asked softly.

"Not really. You just haven't been making large explosions so you caught them off guard today." Naruto replied.

"What does Gaara want?"

"Oh, you noticed?" Naruto grinned slightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Um, he just wants to have some grownup guy time so he and I are gonna hang out while Kakashi's got you for the night."

"What'cha gonna do?" She held onto Naruto's hand as they left the training area.

"Guy stuff."

"What kind of guy stuff?"

"Stuff you will _not_ be doing until you're Granny Tsunade's age if I have a say in it."

"What stuff?"

Naruto sighed a little before answering, "It's a grownup thing and when you turn eleven I will explain it."

"But eleven's not a grownup."

"No, but it's the age that Sakura-chan wants me to explain some grownup stuff to you no matter how much it grosses me out."

Hisoka stared blankly at Naruto for a moment before asking, "In Kabuto's lab thing, there was some ladies in cages and sometimes they'd be bleeding but they wouldn't be hurt where they were bleeding. Is that one of the grownup things?"

Just how much would he have to _not_ explain? "Did the ladies tell you why?" Naruto questioned cautiously.

"No. They said that I should be grateful I wouldn't live long enough to do it too. Does Sakura-chan do it?"

Deciding that this was by far the most embarrassing conversation ever, Naruto covered his eyes. "Let's… just drop it." Naruto said finally. "It's not a conversation that you should have in public, ya know?"

"Oh. Okay. One more question."

"What?"

"Do guys bleed there too?"

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I swear that Hi-chan's taking on a life of her own. It's actually amusing to imagine the look of horror on Naruto's face at her questions so my amusement level has gone up. Okay, I'm gonna go so read and review!<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

lostmoonchild: Holy shit. I had an awesome birthday so that was great and then last night we had a storm roll through that had the destructive force of a tornado. Of course we were out of town and got back to see that you couldn't go fifteen or so feet without seeing some kind of damage. Nobody was hurt so we're all grateful for that. Thanks for the reviews, everybody, and for the birthday wish.

Chapter Warning: Yaoi alert in the beginning.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Nineteen<p>

Naruto felt his stomach twisting from excitement as he moved about the apartment, making sure things were picked up and that he had everything he knew Gaara would probably want. He couldn't remember exactly the conversation that had started this but he knew for certain it had started while both men were somewhat intoxicated. When they woke up the next morning, they had both concluded that this could be considered beneficial to both men and that there were absolutely no strings attached.

Now they needed to be extra careful to make sure that Hisoka was either dead asleep or staying the night at somebody's house. Naruto didn't want his daughter to depend solely on him and everybody else had been rather eager to offer to let the girl stay the night when he wanted or needed a night to himself. It was just dumb luck that Kakashi's night fell on the same night that Gaara wanted to see him or maybe the Kazekage had known already.

Either way, neither one was willing to chance setting off an episode.

The blonde darted over to the door and grinned when he saw the redheaded man standing with an impassive look on his face. "So you decided your last name will be safer for her?" Gaara questioned as he entered the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"Yeah. I mean, her mom's family earned a pretty bad reputation and I didn't want to worry-"

The blonde's entire body stiffened as Gaara's lips crashed against his own in a dominating kiss. "If your willingness to do this tonight is anything to go by," Gaara breathed, "you've been just as stressed out."

"Yeah."

Their lips crashed together in another bruising kiss as they worked their way back to Naruto's room. "Did she notice?" Gaara asked finally.

"Naturally."

"And?"

"Asked what we were gonna do so I told her that we were gonna do guy stuff."

Gaara smirked softly as he lightly pushed the blonde back onto the bed, already feeling the beginnings of arousal. There was no denying that they were both messed up enough that the idea of an actual relationship with anybody else was beyond their hopes but this worked out just fine for the two. The one that was the most needy dominated while the other one took it but if they were equally needy…

The redhead's fingers danced across Naruto's clothes, slowly exposing the sun kissed skin as Naruto's fingers worked on his own clothes. This would be their night to do as they pleased. "When's she due back?" Gaara asked softly.

"Tomorrow morning." Naruto managed to pant.

Excellent. They had all night and as Gaara smirked in response, Naruto felt his stomach tighten in excitement. He knew that look and knew that before the night was through he was going to be reduced to a begging heap at least twice. When Gaara attacked his lips again, Naruto made a correction before his brain shut down and he was reduced to sensation only. At least three times, he decided, and he'd probably be denied an orgasm each time.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Kakashi sighed to himself as he woke with a start upon hearing the terrified screams that left his bedroom. He didn't understand how something so small could make so much noise but he supposed he should have expected it. "What's wrong?" Kakashi asked as he stumbled into his bedroom, his eye softening when he saw the stream of tears on the girl's face.

"Sa-Sas-Sasuke came and killed Daddy!" Hisoka screamed hysterically.

The Jounin stared for a moment, surprise etched on his features for a moment before he reclaimed control over his surprise. Naruto had told him that Hisoka had started vocally communicating but until now he hadn't heard a peep from the girl. "Sasuke didn't kill Naruto. It was just a bad dream." Kakashi said soothingly as he sat down next to the crying girl.

Hisoka sobbed as she clung to Kakashi, her entire body shaking as the silver-haired Jounin murmured soft words of comfort. "Th-then he sa-said that it w-was m-hic-my fault!" Hisoka sobbed. "E-Everyone el-else wa-was dead and th-there was n-no one l-left!"

Kakashi picked the girl up and held her as he walked around the apartment, his eye watching the tears that fell down her face. Was she picking up on something that one of the Bijuu was feeling or was it just one of her fears playing itself out? "Don't cry." Kakashi said softly.

He spoke soft words of comfort as he held the girl, waiting for her to stop crying. He couldn't deny that she was terrified of her dreams when she'd have nightmares of somebody she loved and cherished above all else being killed by the one person she hated and feared more than death. Maybe once upon a time she had been fully prepared to die and held no fears, but now she loved everybody that cared for her in some way.

Kakashi thought for a moment before lowering his mask. "Hisoka-chan." Kakashi said patiently.

Hisoka's eyes widened slightly when she saw Kakashi had taken his mask off, her eyes immediately falling on the scar over his left eye. What had happened? Why was he keeping that one eye closed? "Your mask is off!" Hisoka cheered before looking solemn again. "How come you have it on all the time? I think you look very nice."

Kakashi felt his cheeks turn slightly pink before he sighed. "Because I want it on." Kakashi told her. "Every shinobi has a quirk with their clothes and for me, I chose a mask."

Why couldn't Naruto find somebody _sane_ to be around? She personally didn't understand why Kakashi would wear a mask unless he wanted to hide his face from somebody, which meant that he must have done something. "Maybe I could wear a mask." Hisoka said thoughtfully as she lightly touched Kakashi's face.

"No, you're a pretty girl and it'd be a shame to hide the fact." Kakashi adjusted Hisoka on his lap. "Now that you've calmed down a bit, do you want to talk about that nightmare? It sounded terrible."

Hisoka nodded slightly, fighting back the tears that were gathering once again. "Daddy and Sasuke were fighting and then Sasuke put that lightening thing through Daddy's chest. He died and everyone else was suddenly lying on the ground. Sasuke started walking towards me and he said that it was my fault." She curled up tightly into a ball. "He always says it's my fault. I could be really good and he'd hit me. He hit me a lot then when I woke up the last time, he wasn't there. I got hungry and thirsty but no one came and I wanted to die. Then Daddy found me."

Gods, how could he have not seen before? Kakashi hugged the girl tightly before looking serious at her. "Listen to me. There is _nothing_ that makes it okay to hit a kid like Sasuke did you." Kakashi told her. "Sasuke cannot kill Naruto. Kyuubi will not allow that. Do you understand me?"

Hisoka nodded slightly in understanding, her eyes still telling him that she was afraid. "Kakashi?" Hisoka asked finally.

"Yeah?"

"What happened to Momma? How come she put me in that tube and didn't come back for me? Didn't she love me?"

A sigh left Kakashi's lips as he looked at the girl, seeing the doubt in her eyes. "Your momma loved you so much that she chose you over her clan." Kakashi told the girl. "Even before you were born, your mother knew you were special and she thought that putting you in that tube was the only way she was going to protect you."

"But where's Momma?"

"I don't know." Kakashi lied. "Maybe Naruto or Tsunade knows where she is."

Hisoka frowned as she looked at the floor. "She's dead, isn't she? Somebody saw her and killed her cause of her last name." Hisoka said softly. "I know why the Kages all came. They wanted to see if I should die too."

"Hi-chan, look at me." Kakashi told the girl, waiting patiently until she looked at him. "Your mother loved you enough to give up the privilege to watch you grow up and Naruto loves you enough to accept the privilege to guide you until you're ready to walk by yourself. Never _ever_ doubt that you're loved. We all have to make choices and I've known people that have made the choice to give up something that they love more than anything in the world."

"Really?"

"Yes. Everybody has to make that choice sooner or later and it's never an easy one." Kakashi brushed the girl's messy hair away from her eyes. "Just never forget that we love you and we will never ever let Sasuke hurt you again."

Hisoka nodded slightly and closed her eyes as she nestled against Kakashi. "Kaka?" Hisoka murmured sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow… can I play with Pakkun?"

Smiling a little, Kakashi nodded. "Sure. Get some sleep though." Kakashi said as he pulled his mask over his face and closed his eyes.

Hisoka smiled softly as she nestled against the Jounin, her breaths evening out as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Holding the girl tightly, the Jounin allowed himself to drift off into a light sleep.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Kakashi laughed to himself as he watched Hisoka and Pakkun chase each other around the living room, not entirely sure which one was chasing the other. "Okay, I'm not a pup anymore. I need a break." Pakkun stated gruffly as he sat down.

Hisoka pouted slightly before cautiously moving towards the small dog, her gray eyes slightly questioning. "Can I pet you?" Hisoka asked finally.

"What do I look like? Some regular dog?" Pakkun questioned.

"Just let her pet you." Kakashi said lightly. "How long do you think you'll be able to last once she decides to be all cute?"

Pakkun gave Kakashi a dirty look before sighing. "Fine." Pakkun sighed. "You should touch my paw. It's really soft."

"Weirdo dog." Hisoka muttered before lightly patting Pakkun's head before moving away. "There. I'm done."

It was a lot more than what he had honestly been thinking she'd do. "Not bad, Hi-chan." Kakashi said lightly. "Wait until we tell Naruto."

The girl smiled brightly before patting Pakkun on the head again. "You might not be so bad." Hisoka said simply.

"Right back at you."

Poking Pakkun's forehead, Hisoka darted over to Kakashi and grinned at him. "When can we go home?" Hisoka questioned.

Glancing at the clock, Kakashi noted that the blonde should be conscious and all traces of his nighttime activities gone. Well, almost all traces. He was fairly certain that Naruto would be walking funny for a day or two. "Get your stuff together and we can start heading that way." Kakashi told her.

Cheering loudly, the girl ran to the bedroom and the silver-haired Jounin sighed softly to himself upon hearing the sound of a small body crashing into a wall. If that wasn't a sign that she was related to Naruto then he didn't know what was. "You're absolutely certain that she's in good hands?" Pakkun questioned patiently.

"Fairly certain. Besides, it's not like Naruto's the only person she's around so the odds of her getting screwed up beyond belief is fairly slim."

But if Sasuke managed to stay away from them then he'd be happy. While there was some part of him that would be pleased to see the Uchiha, there was a more dominant part of him that wanted to beat Sasuke within an inch of his life. He knew for certain that he had never taught his students to torture the innocent.

All thoughts of homicide left Kakashi's mind when Hisoka came skipping into the room, her entire face showing absolute trust in him. "Home?" Hisoka asked patiently.

"Sure."

Taking the Jounin's large hand in her own, the girl smiled brightly at him. That smile, Kakashi was fairly certain, was the familiar Uzumaki smile and with that smile she could heal what wounds had been caused because of her mother's family. Once she grew into her abilities, however, Kakashi knew that he'd pity the poor bastard that threatened Konoha and that the odds of the poor bastard ever making it out alive would be slim to none.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Haha, Kakashi and childcare. That's almost scary but my little plot bunny's been jumping around demanding some situations and the situation that the plot bunny demanded with Kakashi is the "Where's Momma?" thing. Anyway, I'd better get running since I agreed to help out with this interesting course and I'm the test subject so we'll be leaving sometime this afternoon. Read and review!<p> 


	20. Chapter 20

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! If there's material that I think will offend someone, I will put warnings at the beginning of the chapter. It's not something I usually do but due to the content in this fic it's probably a good idea. Yes, Naruto and Gaara's histories are similar but they aren't going to really be a couple. It's more of a friends with benefits thing so I don't want anybody to think there's purely going to be yaoi. Naruto will have a female lover or two and maybe a love interest. And the "test subject" thing turned out pretty good. We determined which side of my body is dominant (I laughed cause it was my left side and I'm a lefty anyway) so it was painless although it felt weird when the spot where the two halves of the ribcage meets just below the breasts got pushed on. Anyway, here's another chapter for you guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty<p>

Naruto knew from the advice that his friends' parents gave him every so often that it was hard to watch as a child took their first steps towards independence. As Naruto watched his daughter as she brushed through her dark hair with such care and concentration, he wondered if those feelings weren't increased by the knowledge of the path she was about to walk on. "You know you don't have to become a kunoichi just because I'm a ninja." Naruto said lamely.

"I know, Daddy. I want to."

Was there anything that could make her change her mind about this path? Even if she had chosen a different path he knew there was no way he could let her go without basic chakra control. "Just remember," said Naruto as he knelt in front of the girl, "there's going to be a bunch of different kids. Some of them will have bloodline abilities that focus in their eyes."

"Like Hinata and Neji?"

"Exactly."

"I'm not scared of them."

Of course not. She knew they could see chakra points with their eyes but that wasn't any cause for alarm in the girl's eyes. "I know, honey. Just keep in mind that you might be exposed to some of the stuff you don't like." Naruto told her. "Let's get going or you'll be late."

Hisoka grabbed her bag and held onto Naruto's hand, feelings of excitement and nervousness twisting in her stomach. "Daddy, what if I'm not a good kunoichi?" Hisoka questioned. "What if I'm at the bottom of my class? What if I don't know half the stuff the other kids do? They've probably been around ninja stuff their whole lives and-"

"Hey, you'll do just fine. You're a smart girl so I'm certain you'll do a good job and even if you are at the bottom of your class, it'll just mean that you have to work a little harder."

"But what if I don't understand something?"

"Then you ask a teacher or one of your classmates to help you."

"What if they don't like me?"

"What's not to like? The minute people give you a chance is usually when they fall in love with you."

Hisoka eyed her father for a moment before answering, "Not everybody's going to like me."

"And that's okay. Life isn't exactly a popularity contest. It's just one hell of a lesson all in the form of an adventure."

To anybody else she was fairly certain that her father made absolutely no sense. While he had his idiotic moments, Hisoka knew that it was just his personality. "You can come in with me if it'll make you feel better." Hisoka told him.

While he couldn't deny that he was probably experiencing some parental hesitation, Naruto could see that Hisoka was anxious. "Sure," he replied softly.

Neither one spoke until they reached the Academy, seeing several other parents dropping their kids off. "I'll pick you up after school. Behave and do your best." Naruto told her, ignoring the rude whispers that came from a couple of the more stubborn villagers.

"Demons shouldn't be allowed to have children."

"They say the girl's from the Kairi family."

"Monsters!"

Hisoka glanced over at the two villagers before looking at Naruto with a slightly questioning look. "Ignore them." Naruto told her. "Just remember what I said about life not being a popularity contest."

Nodding slightly, Hisoka gave him a hug before running towards the school to catch up with a couple Hyuuga children that Hinata introduced her to. While Naruto was comforted by the fact that his daughter would know some of the kids, he couldn't help but feel anxious over the entire school thing. Watching for a couple more minutes, the blonde turned and left.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto glanced at Hinata, Sakura, Shino, and Sai, wondering what exactly was so important that the five of them were needed. He knew Kakashi was on a mission of his own and would be gone for a month and Hinata was usually the one that willingly took Hisoka in the event that he was called on a mission. "You five have been requested for a bodyguard mission. It's a B-ranked one that's expected to last three weeks."

"Three weeks?" Naruto shouted. "Baa-chan!"

"Your client will be leaving later this afternoon so that will give everybody a chance to get their things put together and for you to explain what's going on after you find a babysitter, gaki."

"Okay, okay."

As they were told exactly what was going on that would require such care to be taken, Naruto found himself mentally going through everybody that he trusted to take care of Hisoka for three weeks. He refused to leave her with Ino for that long in fear of what his daughter would learn, Chouji was on a mission, and the four people that normally took Hisoka were going on this mission. Hell, even Shikamaru had taken off to Suna. That meant…

The blonde's eyes lit up upon realizing that Kiba could probably take Hisoka for a while. He knew the Inuzuka wouldn't do anything to upset Hisoka too badly other than the dogs but she was getting better with there being dogs around her. "Everybody understand?" Tsunade questioned as she carefully looked at the five shinobi in front of her.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Dismissing them, Tsunade paused a moment before telling Naruto to stay behind. "I trust you've already figured out somebody you can ask." Tsunade told the blonde.

"Kiba. Hi-chan's gonna be pissed when she realizes that I'm heading out on another mission."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Hisoka and I are managing if that's what you want to freak out about."

It was never a surprise when Naruto got protective of the girl. "Relax. I've been going over your mission history." Tsunade told the blonde. "I think it's high time you got a promotion."

"What?"

If it weren't for the fact that he held raw talent that was proving to be incapable of being polished until it shone, she'd send him through a wall. "You heard me. I'm promoting you to Jounin." Tsunade said with a small smile. "Maybe in a few years you'll be ready to make ANBU."

Naruto stared for a moment, his eyes wide as he stared in disbelief at Tsunade. He was another step closer to his dream of being Hokage and he almost couldn't believe it. "Wow." The blonde suddenly grinned. "Maybe you'll have me skip ANBU and just go ahead and take your job!"

"Just get yourself situated!" Tsunade's features suddenly grew sober. "Naruto."

The blonde blinked a couple of times. "Yeah?"

"I'm only asking because nobody wants your daughter to be thrown around but in the event that something _does_ happen-"

"Gaara's her godfather. I asked him when he was here and he said he would." The fact that they were friends with benefits just happened to be an entirely different story and one that she would more than likely figure out in a few years.

Tsunade nodded in understanding before telling him, "Just be sure to be safe."

"I will."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Kiba!"

Kiba stopped and turned, grinning when he saw Naruto running towards him. "What's up?" Kiba questioned.

"You going on any missions?"

"No, why? You need someone to watch Hisoka?"

"Think you can stand my little bundle of energy for three weeks?"

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "How's she going to handle three weeks without you-know-who's chakra?" Kiba questioned as they started walking down the street.

One of the best things about talking and walking was that nobody thought to pay attention. If two shinobi were walking and talking then other shinobi could assume that it was something important and worth keeping an eye on. "I've been doing some thinking about that. I remember before Sasuke took off that Ero-sennin sealed some black flames into a scroll so I've been thinking that maybe I could do that with Kyuubi's chakra. Just seal some of it up for Hi-chan to use." Naruto replied.

"How much?"

"She's dropped down to siphoning three or four times a week instead of every day." Naruto replied. "Even then it's not that much. Just open up the scroll to whichever seal's first and she'll suck it right up."

Kiba nodded slightly before answering, "Sure. I'll get an extra room ready. Still waking up at night?"

"Nah. Sleeps all night."

"Excellent. Freaking out over dogs?"

"She'll pet them then decides she's done."

"Okay. Drop her off before you leave and we'll see you in three weeks."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks, I owe you!" Naruto said before running off.

Grinning down at Akamaru, Kiba laughed a little before rubbing the dog's ears. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get home."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto was silent as he waited for Hisoka, grinning when he saw the girl walking towards him. Her entire face lit up when she saw him and immediately the girl started running towards him. "What were you doing today?" Hisoka questioned immediately as they started walking.

"I got promoted to Jounin." Naruto told her.

A smile spread across Hisoka's face as she looked up at Naruto, her eyes shining with excitement. "I knew you could do it!" Hisoka cheered. "So what were you doing with Kyuubi's chakra? Were you working on a new jutsu?"

"No. Before Granny Tsunade told me that I got promoted, she told me and four others that we've been assigned a mission."

Immediately Hisoka's face fell. "So you're gonna be gone?" Hisoka questioned.

"Yeah. Sorry, Hi-Hi." Naruto hugged the girl softly. "How was your first day?"

"It was good. Iruka-sensei asked me if you taught me any of your 'stupid tricks' and said that they weren't funny when you did it so it wouldn't be funny if I do it."

Naruto cracked up laughing, his blue eyes dancing with excitement. "I'll have to tell you some of those stories when I get back." Naruto laughed. "If Iruka-sensei doesn't beat me to the punch."

"He gave an example of one way not to use ninja skills." Hisoka told him. "Something about messing up the Hokage Monument."

If it was possible for his grin to get larger, it would have. "Yeah, don't do that." Naruto said with a laugh. "You could hear Iruka-sensei yelling from across the village that day."

"Wow."

"Yeah. So you gotta do your schoolwork and when I get back, I'll teach you one of those 'stupid tricks' he was talking about although I'll tell you now that they were pretty damn good. One of them actually knocked out the Third Hokage."

Immediately the girl's face lit up again. "Really? Can you teach me that one?" Hisoka questioned.

"Hell no. You'll be able to knock out the male species and part of the female species when you're older. I'm not giving you the means to start now."

"But you did it!"

"Yeah, but that's me. In three weeks, I'll show you one of my 'stupid tricks' and you can irritate Iruka-sensei. Until then, be patient and I want you to be good for Kiba."

"I'm staying with Kiba?"

"Don't start, little miss. Kiba's the only one that's available."

The blonde sighed as they entered the apartment, watching as Hisoka immediately took off to her room to get her things ready while Naruto checked to make sure he had all his things. "When will I be old enough to stay by myself?" Hisoka called from her room.

"We'll see what happens when you're ten or eleven."

Naruto waited patiently as Hisoka came out with a bag across her back. "Okay. I'll hold you to it." Hisoka told him.

"Okay." Naruto kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Come back safe, okay?"

"Promise."

Taking his daughter's hand in his own, Naruto smiled softly as they left the apartment, locking the door behind them.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Personally I think it'd make sense that Naruto's a bit anxious over his little girl starting school but I'm fairly certain that's a common parental thing. Then I started laughing upon realizing that this chapter is coming out just days before school starts here so that's kinda funny timing wise. I also thought that he needed to be promoted finally cause we all know that Naruto's got mad skills as a ninja. Anyway, read and review!<p> 


	21. Chapter 21

lostmoonchild: Ohayo! So it's Friday morning and I'm messing around on YouTube looking for songs that's been driving my brother nuts and now updating stories while waiting for a song to load. Thanks for the reviews, they actually got me thinking.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty One<p>

_Kaboom!_

Kiba rolled over onto his stomach and groaned as he heard the sound of footsteps running towards his room. "Kiba!" Hisoka screamed as she dove onto his bed and scrambled under the blankets.

He had known from the moment he first picked up the scent of the oncoming storm that he wouldn't have a peaceful night. He just wished that the girl had been able to sleep through the storm but with the thunder being as loud as it was his hopes had been in vain. "Tone it down a little, Hi-chan." Kiba said as he put an arm over the girl's trembling form. "You're okay."

"I don't like storms! Th-they…"

"I know."

He rolled onto his side and stared softly as the girl sobbed into his chest. He couldn't imagine living in a world where the smallest things brought back a memory of pure terror and wanted nothing more than to be able to make everything okay in her eyes again. "You can sleep in here with Akamaru and me if you want." Kiba sighed. "I don't care."

Apparently comforted by his words, Hisoka nestled tightly against him and stared into the darkened room, flinching when she saw lightening and heard the crack of thunder. She wanted Naruto but knew that he couldn't always be in Konoha to hold her hand and comfort her. "Go to sleep, Hi-chan." Kiba murmured, his eyes growing heavy.

Flinching at another crack of thunder, Hisoka nestled even tighter against Kiba and listened to the sound of his heart beating. Closing her eyes, Hisoka fell asleep to the lullaby she had known since before she was born.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Blue eyes scanned the rainy area, watching as the rain feel in icy sheets. Naruto made no movements at the flashes of light or the cracks of thunder, his thoughts distant. "Is something bothering you, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked softly.

"Not really. I'm just wondering if Kiba's getting annoyed at Hi-Hi yet." Naruto answered patiently. "She hates storms."

While she wanted to say that a fear of storms was common in many children, Hinata found herself unable to say that to Naruto. She knew he was angry and hurt that Sasuke had proven himself able to harm an innocent child as well as betray Konoha for something as trivial as revenge. "For what it's worth," the Hyuuga heiress offered softly, "I think you're an excellent father. Leaving your child behind while you go on missions isn't easy."

"I know. I've just never been gone for more than a week and a half ever since she came to Konoha." Naruto told her.

The two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Naruto started squirming. "Naruto-kun?" Hinata questioned.

"Dammit! I'm getting twitchy! Why can't something-"

_Thunk._

"Don't start wishing for stuff to happen, baka!" Sakura scolded as Naruto nursed the rising goose egg on his skull. "Now come on. It's time to start rounds again."

Grumbling softly to himself, Naruto got up before darting off to check out his area. Hinata glanced at Sakura and saw the weary look in the pinkette's eyes. "Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked.

"I'm fine. Come on, let's get started. We can't ensure our target's safety if we're standing around talking."

Nodding slightly, the two women went their own way determined to return home as soon as possible.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

The last time Naruto had ever felt uncomfortable with a woman around, Naruto thought as he lay against a rock, was during his three-year training with Jiraiya and had been chased by a bunch of girls. Now he was stuck keeping an eye on a woman that looked like she'd rape him if given the chance. "Are you sure you're okay? You look so tense." The woman, Kira, said with a look that plainly said how she could relax him.

"I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

It had become painfully obvious since the first day that Naruto would need to watch his back when it came to the woman. He knew she was a paying client but when even Sai agreed that it wouldn't be in anybody's best interest to let Naruto be alone with the woman, they all knew the blonde was in a bad position. "Naruto is one of Konoha's best. If he says he's fine then there's no need to worry." Shino said simply.

Thank the gods for Shino. "Yeah! I just need to sleep a little." Naruto said quickly.

"You can rest your head on my lap if you wish."

Thanks but no thanks. "I'll be fine." Naruto said quickly. "Us ninja go through harsh training. Only the strong get through it."

Harsh training? Not in the Academy but that was something civilians didn't know unless their child was in the Academy. "Oh, I see. Then I'll bid you goodnight." Kira said with a small wink as she laid down.

The woman was a cougar! He thought he had been dreaming when she first began flirting with him but now he was absolutely certain of it! Not that he thought all cougars were terrible but he just wasn't into women that were older than him. Jiraiya had tried to get him to help him with 'research' but he had refused upon realizing what was expected of him.

A soft sigh left Naruto's lips as he closed his eyes, falling into a painfully light sleep.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Okay, class, we're going to work on the clone jutsu today." Iruka told the class. "Line up and I don't want to see any 'special techniques' that count as a useless jutsu."

"Iruka-sensei! Is there really such a thing as a useless jutsu?" A boy questioned.

"Yes. One has been created and I assure you that it will get you nowhere."

"Oh! Daddy told me he made one that knocked out Sandaime!" Hisoka announced.

"And I hope Naruto _never_ teaches you that one."

Iruka watched as the girl pouted slightly, having the feeling that Naruto had told her that he'd never teach her that one. For that one he was grateful seeing as the girl really didn't need to learn any useless jutsu. While he could see that she was smart and enjoyed having fun, getting into trouble was just something he didn't want the girl to become accustomed to. "Why not? Is it that awesome?" A boy questioned.

"No, it's just that stupid." Iruka replied. "Now let's get started."

He watched as each child produced a clone, nodding slightly in approval and giving encouragement to those that needed it. A wave of uneasiness came upon the Chuunin teacher's being when it was Hisoka's turn. Would any of the Kyuubi's chakra blend into her clones or would it be a normal clone?

Hisoka's gray eyes closed as she took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. "Come on! Get it over with already!" Somebody called in boredom.

There was a puff of smoke and Iruka sighed in apparent relief when he saw subtle traces of the Kyuubi's chakra in the clone. "Not bad. You didn't learn that from Naruto, I suppose." Iruka commented as the clone vanished.

"Iie. Hinata. Daddy says he sucks at making clones. Shadow clones are the only kind he's good at."

Nodding slightly in understanding, Iruka motioned for the children to go back inside. As the day continued on, Iruka noticed that the girl was looking out the window as if searching for something. "Hisoka, can I see you for a moment please?" Iruka called when class was over for the day.

Ignoring her classmates' taunts that she was in trouble, Hisoka nodded slightly. "I need to hurry up or Kiba will think I'm in trouble." Hisoka told her teacher. "Then he'll tell Daddy."

"I doubt that'll happen." Iruka soothed the girl. "You're not in trouble. I just want to ask you about something."

"What?"

There was such confusion and caution in her eyes that Iruka couldn't help but see that she was wary. "What is it you're looking at when you look out the window?" Iruka questioned.

What kind of question was that? Hisoka stared for a moment before answering carefully, "I'm looking for something. I know it's that way," she pointed towards the direction she was staring at, "and that it's outside the village but I don't know where. Kyuu-chan thinks that the others know I'm okay and want me so they can all protect me."

"From what?"

"The Uchiha people."

People? The only Uchiha that was alive still was Sasuke. They had all heard the report that Itachi was dead but to hear that Sasuke wasn't the last was just impossible. "You mean person." Iruka said.

"No, I mean people. Kyuu-chan said that there's one older than Sasuke-teme," the brunette sighed knowing where Hisoka had picked up the nickname, "and a lot stronger. Kyuu-chan thinks that he'll kill me the minute that I refuse to let him use them."

While it was disturbing that there was possibly another Uchiha out in the world somewhere, Iruka just couldn't get past the whole "Kyuu-chan" bit. There was just something wrong with the monster that had destroyed the village and killed his parents being given such an affectionate name. Then again, the girl was a member of the Kairi family and they all had a reputation for thinking of demons as their babies. "What makes you certain that the Kyuubi isn't lying to you?" Iruka asked.

"Cause you don't lie to the only person that would argue for you to be free."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: My brother and I actually got into a discussion regarding Hisoka learning the Sexy Jutsu and all he could really keep doing was say "Sexy Jutsu" before lifting up his shirt. Yeah, I can basically tell him what I have planned and expect a joke about it but he found the scene with Iruka commenting about Naruto's "useless jutsu" rather amusing. Well, I'll see you guys next week so read and review!<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! Honestly, I think it's mostly Hisoka's unwillingness to see anybody (monsters included) locked up but the plot bunnies are still playing games with my head at this point. Anyway, I'm tired so I'm just gonna post the chapter then off to bed for me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty Two<p>

Word had spread that one of those hateful children had been discovered and he couldn't have been more furious. Madara was silent as he remembered those cool gray eyes that had once stared at him and the others of his clan before unleashing upon them all the fury of the demonic chakra that had built within their bodies. Back then he had only been aware that there could only be nine but over time had come to realize that when a tenth was born, the nine before died leaving only the tenth and most powerful to survive.

All those that surrounded them, he remembered, had labeled those hateful children Dark Temptations, and until he had seen their strength for himself hadn't known why. Now he understood that their power alone made the darkness within all fight to come forward. They tempted others into starting wars only to turn on those that had hired them and destroy all that surrounded them.

Now the tenth child had been discovered and was being kept by the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. How fitting was it, he mused lightly, that the keeper of the Bijuu was being kept safe by the very creature that was supposed to be protected? If he were to take away the child and use her abilities for himself then the last two Bijuu would come running. Of course he had seven Bijuu locked away but there was nothing to assure him that being locked up would prevent the hateful child from being able to access their power.

After all, they had all proven to be adept at surprising those around them.

A smile spread across his face as he thought about how well things would work with the child in his keep. It wouldn't matter if she wanted to help them or not, the Hachibi and Kyuubi would come running to defend her. In the end he knew the girl would ultimately be killed and he'd be free to do as he pleased with all nine demons.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

The mission had taken an entire month longer than what they had been told mainly because their client had taken a liking to playing with every relatively good looking guy that caught her eye. They had tried to get her to leave them alone only to have their words fall upon deaf ears and all Naruto could really say was that he didn't envy the poor bastards. After he watched the first five limp away the next morning it was pretty clear that the woman was plain violent in bed.

To quote Jiraiya and Kyuubi: "Stay away from the psychos… even if they are more fun."

The crickets sang in the night as the group rushed towards Konoha, knowing that almost everybody would already be asleep. "Finally." Sakura sighed in relief. "Home sweet home."

"I don't know about you guys but I don't ever want to escort another person like that crazy woman ever again." Naruto said with a forced laugh. "I'm gonna grab Hi-Hi, go home, and crash until noon if she lets me."

"You really think your daughter's going to let you sleep until noon?"

"No, but it's a good dream." They parted ways with Sakura announcing that she was going to be staying the night at Sai's and that she didn't want to be bothered unless somebody was dead or dying. If he wasn't so tired at that moment, Naruto would have made a joke that one of them was hoping for a quickie before the other fell asleep.

The blonde darted towards the silent streets, feeling the pull growing stronger as he got closer to the Inuzuka compound. "It's about time you got here." Kiba growled after Naruto knocked on the door. "What in the hell took so long?"

"Let's just say that the client was more interested in satisfying her libido than getting home quickly." Naruto answered with a shudder. "I don't think I've felt sorry for so many unlucky bastards in two months than I did for the ones that crossed her path in two days."

Kiba wrinkled his nose in disgust before leading the blonde to where Hisoka was sleeping. "She's been doing her homework and generally behaving. Started singing some weird song last week saying that a lady in her dream taught it to her." Kiba said softly. "Something about a demon looking for his guardian."

"_Kairi family."_ Kyuubi said simply.

_But who in the hell-_

"_Ingenious mother. Transplanting memories to ensure the survival of the Kairi clan wouldn't have been surprising."_

Naruto silently entered Hisoka's room and smiled tenderly at her as he watched her shift slightly in her sleep. "Hi-Hi, I'm back." Naruto said softly.

Hisoka moaned softly as she slowly opened her eyes, staring unfocusedly at him for a moment or two. "Daddy?" Hisoka asked sleepily.

"Hey, princess. You wanna stay one more night here or do you wanna go home?"

"Home."

A soft smile spread across Naruto's face as he picked her up, feeling the girl's nose against the crook of his neck. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her, Kiba." Naruto dug into his pocket and handed the Inuzuka a wad of crumbled bills.

"Yeah, just try not to come back a month late again. Shikamaru got back earlier today and I was actually tempted to let him take care of her."

"What stopped you?"

"He's got his girlfriend over and I didn't think you'd appreciate Hi-chan hearing them in the act and deciding to investigate." Kiba handed Naruto the little girl's bag. "You'll have to fill me in tomorrow when you get up."

"Sure. Just not when there are a child's ears around."

"That juicy?"

"That scary."

Kiba laughed as he bid the two a goodnight and watched as they started home. He personally couldn't understand how anybody could be such an idiot and not have been killed. Take away the obvious influences that came from Mishima and all that would be left were the features that so plainly screamed the girl's father's identity.

Scratching his head, Kiba flopped back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Sooner or later he knew that Naruto would eventually be forced to hear the truth and after that, there would be no turning back.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Shikamaru couldn't say that he understood the fascination that was found with Hisoka's existence but he supposed that Temari's curiosity was to be expected. He knew how upset she had been upon discovering that her youngest brother would be taking part in deciding a child's fate and then how shocked she had been when Gaara came back saying he was now the girl's godfather.

He assumed it was simply a sibling thing.

Shikamaru sighed as Temari asked questions about the girl, barely giving him a chance to answer. "The one thing that I want to know is how anybody could agree to Naruto taking care of a kid when he's being hunted." Temari stated.

"It was simple when we all thought she just needed the Kyuubi's chakra. Now it's turned into this bizarre case. If Naruto wasn't such an idiot, we'd start thinking he knows something we don't."

Shikamaru knocked on the door and stuck his hands in his pocket as they listened to the sound of somebody scrambling around inside. "Who is it?" A child's voice called through the door.

"It's me. I've got a friend from Suna here too." Shikamaru answered with a sigh.

Temari raised an eyebrow as she listened to the sound of something scraping against the door before the door opened up. "Daddy's still sleeping." Hisoka said as she let them into the apartment. "Can I get you two anything?"

This girl was seriously related to Naruto? Temari stared at the girl for a moment before shaking her head slightly and answering, "No thanks. I'm Temari."

"Hisoka." The girl immediately looked at Shikamaru. "Do you want me to get Daddy for you?"

"No, that's okay. Did you take a look at the calendar today?"

Hisoka's eyes lit up as she darted over to a calendar, her messy hair falling into her eyes as she studied it carefully. "It's your turn!" Hisoka laughed as she jumped down and jumped into Shikamaru's arms. "What're we gonna do? Are we gonna take care of the deer again?"

"We can."

"Sugoi!"

She hadn't been around the girl for long and it was already hard not to love her. Temari watched as the girl spun around as fast as she could before laughing when she fell down. "You and spinning. Once you earn a reputation as a kunoichi you'll probably be known as Konoha's Spinning Demon." Shikamaru said with a sigh. "Go get dressed."

"Spinning demon! Spinning demon!" Hisoka sang as she ran to her room.

"Konoha's Spinning Demon?"

Shikamaru sighed slightly before answering, "She's beginning to use demonic chakra to defend herself. Naruto's weaning her, I suppose you could say, to use her natural chakra so each time she takes some of the Kyuubi's chakra, he lets her take less and less. Of course she'll always need it but she's at least storing more of it now for when he's gone."

The blonde watched as the girl ran from her room to Naruto's room before running out, flinching when the girl crashed into a wall. "And that's normal?" Temari questioned.

"For Hi-chan, yes." Shikamaru sighed. "I'd be worried if she didn't crash into something while running."

She might not be a quiet kunoichi but she could already see that the girl had some potential. "Are you going to hang out with us, Miss Temari?" Hisoka asked as Shikamaru turned her around to tie up her hair.

"Yes. Is that okay?"

"Uh huh. Miss Temari, are you Shika's girlfriend?"

The blonde and brunette both sputtered in surprise at the question before Shikamaru managed to regain control over himself. "Has Naruto been telling you stories again?" Shikamaru questioned.

Immediately Hisoka shook her head. "Sai and Sakura have been kinda standing like you two are now and I heard Ino telling Choji that Sakura said that she and Sai were giving a relationship a try. Then Kiba and Hinata give each other funny looks and when I see Neji with TenTen, he acts kinda funny then TenTen blushes. Is it a grownup thing?"

Shikamaru sighed softly to himself before lightly mussing up the girl's bangs. "Just don't tell Naruto, okay? Temari's kind of like a sister to him and it'll be troublesome to me if he decided to get protective."

Hisoka nodded slightly in understanding before looking at Temari with a calculating look. "What?" Temari asked nervously.

"You're pretty."

"Thank you. You're adorable."

The girl stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose at the comment before smiling brightly. "Well, Hi-chan, should we all go see if those deer have had their babies yet?" Shikamaru questioned.

"Babies! Babies! Hurry up, let's go!"

Temari smiled softly as the girl began pulling them towards the Nara compound, impatience showing on her entire face. There was the familiar Uzumaki trait she had seen so many times with Naruto and if the blonde's traits were truly genetic then this strange child would indeed go far in the world.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I almost grin at the hell that's gonna be raised eventually and am proud to say that Naruto's potential love interest has just now been created. They just won't meet for another few updates cause she was created three days ago. Read and review!<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! You have no idea how much I was grinning at one review due to the fact that Hisoka's biological father is now going to be revealed. So yeah, I had to work this morning which meant being up at five so early bedtime for lostmoonchild (hate early bedtimes) which sadly meant no updates. This working thing sucks cause it messes with updates but then I remember "SoDak, 2012" and all is right again. Anyway, here's the chapter.

Chapter Warning: painfully light lemon (seriously, I was in agony cause I wanted freaking detail and not all dreams go according to what really happened).

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty Three<p>

_The room grew hotter as they moved together, the feminine cries of pleasure reaching his ears. Naruto grunted as he pushed into the woman, his blue eyes darkened by lust as he distantly felt her nails digging into his back. "I'm so close!" The woman cried out, her eyes clenched together tightly as her black hair spread over the white pillow._

_He didn't remember her name but he knew he'd never be able to forget the floral scent that naturally radiated from her body or the softness of her skin. Naruto picked up the pace and felt his entire body tense as he released into her upon feeling her muscles clench him tightly, screams of ecstasy leaving her lips._

_As Naruto rolled off of her, the woman rolled so she was half onto him, soft pants leaving her lips. Gray eyes met blue before the two exchanged a soft kiss, their passion currently sated for the time being. "I heard a rumor that you and your sensei are leaving tomorrow." The woman said softly._

"_Yeah."_

"_That's probably for the best. I need to go home."_

"_Maybe we can take you?"_

_The woman laughed a little before answering, "You'd be killed for your name alone."_

_Naruto grinned sheepishly as he looked at her, almost mesmerized by the love that reflected so plainly in her eyes. He never knew any woman that could easily love the world in all its pain like she could. "Remind me again where you live?" Naruto questioned as he brushed his fingers through the soft raven hair._

"_In a small village that's technically no more. There was a family there that was feared and almost all of them were killed. Almost all of my family was killed too."_

"_What? Who in the hell-"_

"_What's done is done. One day, a child will come that is from both families and it's my prayer that the child and you will cross paths."_

_Naruto stared at her for a moment before rubbing his head. "You sound like you already know that the kid's alive and that you love him or her." Naruto told her._

"_When the time comes, you'll see why."_

Naruto groaned softly as he opened his eyes, distantly remembering that Hisoka had come running in to wake him up long enough to make sure he knew that Shikamaru had arrived with 'a pretty lady' to take her for half the day. His thoughts wandered back to his dream, trying to remember the woman's name and face. The only things that really stood out about her were her eyes, scent, and the feel of her hair and skin. Her name, however, was a total mystery and he was fairly certain that every girl in existence would beat him senseless if they were to find out.

"_Idiot. Even with Hisoka in your care you still can't see anything?"_ Kyuubi growled in frustration.

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Naruto demanded.

The image of the woman came to his mind with enough clarity that told him that Kyuubi had at least been paying attention to the woman's features. _"Look familiar?"_ Kyuubi questioned.

"Not in the slightest."

Another image crossed his mind, this time of Hisoka. Naruto's mind was blank as the two images were shifted next to each other before the figurative light turned on, sending the blonde onto the floor in shock. _"And what have we discovered?"_ Kyuubi asked lightly.

"That woman is Hisoka's mother?"

"_And her father would be…"_

Grabbing the first clothes he could get his hands on, Naruto leapt from his window and immediately darted towards Tsunade's office to demand to look at the results of the DNA test.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Temari supposed she shouldn't have been surprised that the child's mind could easily be compared to a sponge while the words and actions of others served as the water. She also supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that the girl was naturally aware of demonic chakra. She was surprised though when Hisoka suddenly looked towards the Hokage Tower with a frown on her face. "What's wrong?" Shikamaru asked.

"Kyuu-chan's chakra feels different." Hisoka answered automatically. "I wonder if there's something wrong."

Shikamaru frowned slightly as he looked toward the Hokage Tower, wondering the same thing. He knew just how sensitive Hisoka was to the Kyuubi's chakra and to hear that it felt different was a clue that something was wrong. "How different?" Shikamaru questioned.

"Soothing but it's twisting like your tummy does when you're about to do or see something that's a little scary."

Was there an Akatsuki attack or had Naruto forgotten completely that Hisoka was with them? No, if the blonde had forgotten then he would have just gone with instinct and let the Kyuubi's chakra pull him to Hisoka. This was something else that was bothering him. "I don't know. We'll wait for a bit to see if Naruto comes looking for you." Shikamaru told her.

"Okay."

Keeping a cautious eye towards the Hokage Tower, Hisoka returned to her game of jumping over and around fallen leaves while asking them questions regarding various forms of jutsu discovered in their ninja world.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"I tried to tell you before but you weren't interested in hearing it." Tsunade commented with an amused look as she watched Naruto's shocked expression.

"You had me sign papers!"

"Stating that you had custody seeing as people could argue that she's technically been in her mother's care when she was taken by Orochimaru."

Naruto sat down, his entire head racing. "But that's impossible. I mean her mother died back when Kakashi-sensei was a teenager! I don't even think that I had been thought of!"

Tsunade sighed softly before answering, "When you were traveling around with Jiraiya, did you happen to have sex with anybody?"

The blush on Naruto's face told the Hokage exactly what she needed to know. "And you didn't think to say anything sooner?" Tsunade questioned.

"My sex life is nobody's business but my own!"

"Your sex life resulted in a new life! I bet you didn't even think to use protection!"

The further blush on his face told Tsunade exactly what she needed to know. "Of course not. I shouldn't be surprised to learn that you've picked up on Jiraiya's habits." Tsunade groaned.

"She said she was protected!"

"Clearly not if you have a daughter!"

Then again, not all contraceptives had a one hundred percent success rate. Mishima could have been telling Naruto the truth when they had sex and Hisoka's conception could have been merely fallen into the small percentage. "Well, Hisoka's here so there's no point in yelling at me about it." Naruto replied. "You're absolutely positive that the results are right?"

"Yes. You are Hisoka's biological father. Why Mishima decided to go into the future is anybody's guess." Tsunade suddenly gave a mischievous grin. "So I heard that the client took an interest in you."

"Don't remind me! She was nice and everything but I saw how those guys she turned her attention to walked as soon as they were done."

Tsunade laughed before motioning for Naruto to go ahead and leave her office. As Naruto walked down the street, he could feel everything he had thought and now knew whirling around him. He wasn't his daughter's adopted father like he had believed nor was he a distant cousin. He had actually given her part of his DNA and helped bring her into existence.

Naruto had heard before how if one were to go into the past, the future would be altered. If someone from the past were to go to the future only to return to their own time, could they alter the future as well? Had Hisoka even existed or had Mishima realized that something needed to be done to alter some desolate future? He didn't know and it made him nervous.

Without realizing it, his feet had carried him to the Nara compound where he saw Hisoka playing with Shikamaru and Temari watching. "Daddy!" Hisoka cried happily, immediately jumping into his arms.

"Hey. Were you being good?" Naruto questioned.

"Uh huh. Temari was telling me some of the stuff about Suna that Gaara didn't get a chance to tell me. Did you know that Temari and Gaara are siblings and that they have a brother named Kankuro?"

Naruto grinned a bit before answering, "I knew that and when we go to Suna, you'll get to meet Kankuro. Hey, Temari-nee-chan!"

"One Uzumaki in the world wasn't enough?" Temari teased.

Laughter left Naruto's lips as he shifted Hisoka so she was sitting on his shoulders, feeling her probing Kyuubi's chakra carefully for any signs of distress. "How come Kyuu-chan's chakra got all twisty? Did something happen?" Hisoka questioned as she tilted her father's head back.

Naruto grinned a little before replying, "Nothing's wrong, Hi-chan. I just needed to check something and got a little nervous about."

"Not nervous twisty. Scared twisty."

For all her apparent genius, was this truly the best way she had to describe her gut feelings? A subtle nod from Shikamaru told Temari that, yes, this was indeed the best way Hisoka was able to fully explain her feelings. "Scared twisty, huh? Nah, not so much scared."

"But it was scared twisty."

"I know, honey, and I'm sorry. Does Kyuu-chan's chakra still feel twisty?"

Hisoka furrowed her eyebrows a moment in concentration before she tilted her head slightly. "He says only when he remembers that luck always runs out." Hisoka responded simply. "Was your mission good, Daddy? Did you fight anybody?"

"It was good and no, we didn't fight anyway."

"Did you see Sasuke?"

"No."

"Good. Cause him and the older man want to hurt people."

Naruto took the girl off of his shoulders and looked at her with interest. Shikamaru and Temari listened carefully; both bothered by the girl's words. "How do you know that?" Naruto questioned.

Hisoka frowned slightly before answering, "I had a dream. There were seven things that kinda felt like Hachibi and Kyuubi and they were all mad. I recognized one of them cause Gaara had his chakra feeling and when I asked, the demon said that he was taken away from Gaara and the desert."

Ichibi? This child had dreamed and talked to the very monster that had tormented her littlest brother for most of his life? Temari couldn't help but feel some fear towards the child but from the lack of concern that showed on either male's faces, this was something normal. "Really? And they told you that there was an older man?"

"Kyuu-chan said so too! He said the older man made him leave the red-haired lady's tummy after her baby left her tummy." Hisoka replied with frustration in her gray eyes. "He said the older man made him attack Konoha when he just wanted to go home. The others want to go to home too and they said that the older man won't let them. His eyes are bad like Sasuke's and they make the Bijuu do what they don't want to."

"Uchiha?" Naruto mouthed to Shikamaru.

"Maybe." Shikamaru mouthed back.

Naruto looked at his daughter, seeing that it bothered her what was happening to the Bijuu. "How come you're upset?" Naruto asked.

"Cause I don't want Juubi to come back."

"Hi-chan, there's only the nine." Shikamaru told her.

"No! They told me why the man wanted them! If he gets all nine put together then he can make Juubi come back!"

A ten-tailed demon? The fear in Hisoka's eyes told them that she wasn't sure if she could even control anything above the Kyuubi. "You're absolutely sure?" Shikamaru asked.

Hisoka nodded. "The man didn't know that they could hear and understand him. The lady doesn't think the man even knows that I'm almost big enough to find them even when they're locked up."

"What lady?"

"The lady that looks kind of like me. She says that I came out of her tummy and she put her memories in my brain so if I saw the loud lady with red hair, I could tell her that it was okay but I think the loud lady's dead cause Kyuu-chan says that he was in the loud lady before he was in Daddy."

Just what in the hell had Mishima been thinking? Why would she use their daughter like this? Maybe it wasn't so different than what his father had done to him but it still pissed him off that a mother could easily use her child for something like this. "Naruto, maybe you'd better have Hisoka tell Lady Hokage what we were just told." Shikamaru told the blonde. "I don't know if you realize it, but your daughter can help bring Sasuke back."

"I don't want Sasuke-teme to come back! They'll let him get away with hurting me cause he'll make it seem like it was my fault!"

Uh oh, she was beginning to pull hard on Kyuubi's chakra. "Hey, remember what I told you about Sasuke not getting away with anything?" Naruto questioned sternly. "Your mother did what she thought would protect you and that backfired but I'm here now and there's no way in hell I'm going to let anybody do anything else to you. Understand?"

Immediately the hard pulls decreased to soft tugs. "But Sasuke has bad eyes like the older man." Hisoka said softly.

"Yeah, I know." Naruto hugged her tightly. "But I'm your dad and since your mom isn't here to be scary, I'm gonna have to be scary enough so Sasuke will leave you alone."

A giggle left Hisoka's lips as she tried to imagine her father being scary enough to chase Sasuke away. "You're not scary." Hisoka giggled.

Naruto grinned slightly as his blue eyes danced with excitement. "Oh really?" He playfully growled and tipped her upside down, holding her legs against him with his elbows while he tickled her.

Squeals of laughter left Hisoka's lips before Naruto picked her back up. "Not scary." Hisoka laughed. "Funny, but not scary."

"Yeah, just wait until I go all Kyuubi on Sasuke and anybody else that wants to mess with you." His eyes were full of mischief as he looked at her. "So how about I teach you some fun ways to mess with people that are looking to kick your butt?"

"Yeah!"

"Just don't teach her anything illegal or immoral." Shikamaru said with a small wave of his hand. "Yuki's parents will kill me if he picks up anything like that."

"I make no promises other than she's not learning my Sexy Jutsu."

Thank the gods for small miracles and as they watched the Uzumaki family leave, they could see the excitement that glowed from both father and daughter. "So how long before he teaches her something illegal?" Temari questioned softly.

"He's had her for about a year now so I'd say in a month of two he'll focus on trespassing. After that, anything goes."

Great. Not only would her little brother be forced to decide again in ten years if the girl would live or die, Gaara would have to take into account all the things that Naruto taught her. Gods have mercy and help keep that little girl from learning the wrong things from Naruto that would ultimately get her killed.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Is it sad that I can actually see Naruto teaching Hisoka something illegal andor immoral? Anyway, so according to my schedule, next Friday is an on-call day which I'm almost hoping turns into a day off so I shouldn't be late again except for if I have a repeat of this week. So read and review!


	24. Chapter 24

lostmoonchild: Konbanwa! Thanks for the reviews, everyone, I enjoyed reading them. This actually wasn't what I had planned to be in the story but one of the reviews kinda woke my muse up just when I was ready to go to bed. Haha, in the end I enjoyed writing the chapter so it's all good.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Twenty Four<p>

_She didn't know this place but still she was able to work her way through the numerous halls. "You're late, Mishima." An old woman said, weary gray eyes flashing._

My name's Hisoka!_ Hisoka tried to tell the woman only to reply in a voice that wasn't hers, "I was trying to decide if I want a part in this stupidity or not. Agreeing to help that man will bring nothing but misery and shame to this clan."_

"_What in the hell's that supposed to mean, you wretch?" A man with a tan streak in his hair demanded._

"_I don't think we can trust him. He doesn't feel right."_

"_Uchiha Madara will be the one to rescue our family from the depths of darkness that the world has shoved us into." The old woman said patiently. "Do you want us to die out without a word?"_

_Hisoka stared at the woman before looking at the people that had been waiting. Nine of them each had a colored streak in their hair, coldness reflecting in their gray eyes. She didn't know how she knew, but each of them was desperate to save their family despite knowing that they were already dead. Their family had once had their time to shine; it was time to fade away with history. "I can't agree with this. This is wrong." Hisoka told them. "I don't trust him and I won't have a part in this stupidity."_

"_Stupidity?" A woman with russet orange hair demanded. "You think this is stupidity?"_

"_I do, actually! We don't know what the Juubi will do or what its abilities are! We at least know what the nine Bijuu can do."_

"_All but one is locked up in a human! Hachibi is taken out of so many hosts it's ridiculous."_

_Hisoka huffed in anger, her eyes narrowing as a masked man entered the room with an air of confidence. "Uchiha-sama. Welcome." The old woman said as she stood. "We were just discussing the plan to bring the Juubi to this world."_

_She hated the man with a passion and stiffened in anger as Madara looked at her. "I take it you don't agree?" Madara questioned lightly._

"_I don't. I think this whole idea is complete bullshit and that it'll backfire horribly on you all." With her warning given, Hisoka turned and left the hideout._

_(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)_

_Fear pounded through her entire body as Hisoka hid, her eyes wide in horror as she stared at the ruins that lingered around her. Everybody was dead, save for that Uchiha bastard that had summoned Juubi. She could see the corpses of the Jinchuuriki littering the ground, her eyes and mind refusing to accept the identity of the red-haired woman. She could mourn later and bury the dead but she needed to survive first. If everything worked out fine, they would all be alive and she wouldn't have to bury any one of them._

_A cry left her lips as she fled, barely avoiding a blast of deadly chakra. Fear flooded her entire being as Hisoka ran with tears pouring down her face, desperately searching for a place to hide. Her mind raced as she ran, knowing that something needed to be done and that she'd be exhausted by the time everything was said and done._

_Running down into the hidden lab that Hisoka recognized as the one she had woken up in, she struggled to catch her breath. "I can't let them do this. I need to change everything." Hisoka said, suddenly recognizing the voice as her mother's._

Is this Momma's memory?_ Tucking her hair back behind her ears, she made a few hand signs and concentrated her chakra. Before she could activate the jutsu, the ceiling began to crash down and a scream tore itself from her lips as she stared up at the terrifying demon._

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Screams continued to leave Hisoka's lips as Naruto shook her awake, his blue eyes panicked as he watched his daughter rejoin the living world. "It's okay. You're okay." Naruto said soothingly as he hugged his hysterical daughter.

"Juubi attacked Momma!" Hisoka screamed hysterically. "The older Uchiha man got everyone to agree to get the Bijuu for him and they did it so then he made Juubi show up!"

Naruto picked up his daughter and walked around the apartment as he lightly bounced her in his arms and rubbed her back, making soft shushing noises. "It's okay, honey. Juubi's never once come back." Naruto told her softly. "Nobody's ever done it."

"I saw the red-haired lady too! She and other people were dead too!"

Did she somehow access her mother's memory? If she had, what in the world kind of memory had their daughter been shown that terrified her so badly? "It's okay, baby. Daddy's here to keep you safe." Naruto murmured soothingly as he laid down on the couch with her draped over him. "Forever and always, I'll keep you safe."

Hisoka hiccupped as she listened to her father's heartbeat, her tears still falling. "Something's wrong with me, Daddy." Hisoka said finally. "Sometimes I'll remember something that I never did before and people call me by Momma's name."

"When you were a baby, your momma made sure that you wouldn't make the same mistakes as the people that came before you. I think we'll need to talk to someone and see if they can't seal up Momma's memories."

The girl nodded slightly as she felt the steady rise and fall of Naruto's chest. "Daddy?" Hisoka murmured.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want Juubi. Not ever."

"I know, honey."

"I mean it. Momma felt him and she wasn't like me. He scared me and I don't think if he ever came back, I could stop him from hurting people."

Naruto smiled as he lightly pulled the small tuft of russet orange hair before answering, "You're six years old and already you can tell where all the demons are. I think that if Juubi ever did come back, you could control him."

"How do you know?"

"I'm your dad. I'm supposed to believe in you."

Nodding slightly in understanding, the girl snuggled closer to him. "Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"The Uchiha man… Momma didn't like him at all and he knew it. She told them that the whole idea they had was bad and that it would backfire on them."

Naruto stroked her dark hair softly as he listened to her breaths deepen and even out before softly kissing her forehead. "I don't know everything your momma did, honey, but I do know that I'm gonna make it right. Believe it." Naruto said softly. "Sweet dreams, my little one."

He continued to stroke her hair until sleep overtook him as well, comforted by the weight on his chest. If he hadn't met Mishima when he did, he knew he'd never know this comfort or how much he could possibly love another.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Right, so I ended up having two random flashbacks. The first one was when Naruto meets his dad (a truly beautiful scene) with the whole a parent's supposed to believe in their kid thing and then the second flashback was for "Lion King II: Simba's Pride" (a great movie in my opinion) when Kovu's mom says goodnight to him. I swear she was about as creepy as Scar but that's the end of my little rant. Read and review!<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

lostmoonchild: Well, it's after seven here in beautiful South Dakota and I'm currently making friends with some coffee due to needing to be up early tomorrow morning so no sleeping in today. So I actually enjoyed this chapter cause of the father/daughter thing but I enjoyed writing a future chapter that taks place in Suna. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty Five<p>

Naruto couldn't help but feel pride as he watched his daughter slowly move up the tree, keeping the chakra levels in her feet at a constant level with only minor wavering. Unbidden memories of his own lessons came to mind as he watched his daughter fall back onto the ground, his body immediately moving to catch her. "Stop trying to catch me! I didn't get five feet off the ground!" Hisoka shouted in frustration.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, seeing that something else was bothering her. The chakra control lesson was going fairly well but he wondered what it was. "Okay, what's up?" Naruto questioned patiently.

"Nothing!"

"Like hell. Fess up, little girl."

Hisoka puffed her cheeks out in anger as she crossed her arms, giving her father a look that said plainly she didn't want to talk about it. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow that told her that they weren't going anywhere until she told him what was going on. "All the teachers get nervous when I use my chakra or when we're practicing weapon throwing." Hisoka said finally. "Even when we do taijutsu practice, they get nervous."

"Only cause they know your mom was that awesome and your dad's that great!"

The girl stared blankly at her father for a moment before answering, "Even when I do a genjutsu they're watching."

"Again, cause your mom was that awesome and your dad's that great."

"You _suck_ at genjutsu. It must have been Momma."

Laughter left Naruto's lips as he hugged the girl before brushing her bangs from her eyes. "They're just looking at the fact that your mom was this smart kunoichi and that you've got large chakra reserves just like me." Naruto told her. "You're unique and pretty gifted. If your mom could see what kind of girl you are now, I bet she'd be real proud."

"Are you?"

"Every moment of every day."

Hisoka was silent for a moment before she nodded slightly. "They just don't know how good I can keep Kyuu-chan's chakra away from my normal chakra, right?" Hisoka questioned.

"Right. Just grin and bear with it, Hi-Hi. Come on, we'll put that huge chakra reserve to some use."

Confusion showed on Hisoka's face as she looked at him. "How?" Just what in the world was her father planning this time? The glint in his eyes told her that it was something that he knew was going to have Tsunade screaming at him for.

"I'm gonna teach you the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

As a shinobi Sasuke knew that information could be gathered any number of ways. He just wasn't impressed by how easily the shinobi gave up information regarding the girl. The information he uncovered, however, had put him in a bad mood. It wasn't fair that the dobe had gotten everything he was being denied.

While he was still doubtful regarding the girl's father, he couldn't deny the similarities that lingered between the two. Was it possible that Naruto had actually fathered a child? If so then he was going to take away all that the blonde had. It wasn't fair that a dead last idiot fathered a child well before the one that was at the top of their class. _Say that you do kill the girl,_ a voice said patiently, _he would still have been the first one to have a child. He'll even have the unfortunate title of being the first to lose a child._

No! Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger as he punched a wall, Sharingan spinning. Come hell or high water, he _would_ destroy that hateful child that was technically his. One way or another, he would kill her and take away Naruto Uzumaki's daughter forever. "What do you think you're going to do?" Madara questioned lightly, already knowing the course of action that his descendant had already chosen.

"I'm going to get that brat. Naruto will come to get her and I'm going to destroy her in front of him." Sasuke said coolly.

"Konoha will not let the Kairi go so easily. The Kyuubi will especially be protective of her."

"As if I care."

It was pointless to argue with a fool but this fool at least had his head screwed on straight. The complete destruction of Konoha was at least in the younger Uchiha's head and Madara was fairly certain that a partial destruction would take place just taking the child away. "For your little Dark Temptation's sake," Madara said coolly as he looked at the King of Hell statue after Sasuke had left, "you'd better pray she doesn't show the markings."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"It's not funny!"

Naruto clutched his stomach as he felt the tears of laughter rolling down his face, another fit taking over him when he saw the russet orange streak beginning to appear near the girl's scalp. "Sorry, Hi-Hi, it just looks like someone tried to color your hair then tried to hide it by cutting it." Naruto laughed, this time falling onto the floor.

Hisoka's cheeks puffed out angrily as she glared at him, her gray eyes immediately looking back at the small mirror, searching for any other colors that may have been trying to appear. Seemingly satisfied there were no other colors, Hisoka put the mirror down. "It's not funny!" Hisoka shouted.

"_She has a point. Each Bijuu's protector was known merely by the colored streak in their hair. By the time Hisoka has a chance to fully take in some of the chakra from the other Bijuu, she'll look like she lost a fight with a hairdresser."_

Naruto forced his laughter back under control before inspecting the small tuft of russet orange, giving a small tug. "Yep, it's natural." Naruto sighed. "Well, I'm going to say that came from your mom."

"Am I really going to look like I lost a fight with a hairdresser like Kyuu-chan says?"

Damn it. Kyuubi could keep his mouth shut on that one. The last thing Naruto wanted to deal with was a girl that was self-conscious about her looks. "Not sure, honey. I don't think your mom had any colors in her hair."

"_Her mother wasn't a Dark Temptation."_

The six year old frowned slightly as she looked at Naruto before sighing. "What colors _are_ the other Bijuu?" Hisoka asked finally.

"Tan, blue, red, orange, brown, white, kind of silvery blue, green…" Naruto listed immediately. "Kyuubi and I got into a discussion regarding colors. I've seen Sanbi in person."

"Can I go to Sai's house?" Hisoka questioned. "Please, Daddy?"

A protective instinct said to keep her at home while another feeling said just to let her go. Hisoka was his kid so it wasn't like any sudden surprises was unexpected. They were all waiting for him to teach her something that pushed along the boundaries of illegal which of course he'd claim he was teaching her the finer points of shinobi training. "All right. Just be back in time for dinner, got it?" Naruto questioned. "We're going out for dinner tonight since I don't feel like cooking."

"Yep! Thank you!"

Naruto smiled faintly as he watched his daughter throw her shoes on before booking it out of the apartment. He couldn't deny his pride for the girl but he could help but feel uneasy. Something in the distance was brewing and it was making his chakra edgier than he had ever felt before.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Getting past the various ANBU teams that had been placed around Konoha to protect that horrid child had been fairly easy although Sasuke almost wished that murdering the one and only team that had spotted them hadn't been necessary. If they had simply let him and his team come in and do what they needed to then they'd be able to go home.

At least, go home to what was left of Konoha.

"You sure about this, Sasuke?" Karin questioned. "It'll be four against however many."

"That's why it's going to be Suigetsu getting the girl."

Suigetsu nearly fell off the tree branch at the news before giving Sasuke a look that plainly asked if the Uchiha was serious. "All that separated us before was that damn tube! If she sees me out of it then only the gods know what in the hell she's gonna do!" Suigetsu shouted.

"That wasn't a request." Sasuke replied flatly. "Take the girl and retreat. We'll meet up with you so don't die. Juugo, you take the northern part of the village. Karin, the south. Since Naruto's more than likely with the Kairi, we'll hunt them down together. While I'm distracting Naruto, Suigetsu will take the brat."

Even though he was a shinobi, Suigetsu was fairly certain that there was a special place in hell for kidnappers. As they split up, he found himself dreading the moment when he betrayed the child that had smiled so brightly at him before.

_-Flashback-_

"_You're not one of Orochimaru's regular followers." Suigetsu commented as he stared at the child that stood before his prison._

_Gray eyes stared at him for a moment before a bright smile spread across her face. There was no way such a sweet kid could possibly be one of Orochimaru's lackeys but looks could be deceiving. Then again this child could just be plain dumb. "Don't you talk?" Suigetsu questioned._

_A small shake of the head answered his question but still the bright smile lingered. Hesitating only a moment, the girl put a hand on the cold glass before suddenly whipping around when they heard the door open. "What do you think you're doing in here?" Orochimaru questioned, his voice dangerously calm._

_Fear showed in the girl's eyes for a moment before her eyes dimmed and her bright smile faded away to nothing. There went the dumb idea. "Orochimaru-sama." Suigetsu said softly, realization dawning on him._

"_Get out. I'll deal with you later." Orochimaru snarled at the girl._

_When she didn't immediately move, the snake-nin raised his hand and struck the girl, sending her to the floor. "I said get out!" His voice echoed in the room as if an ominous force._

_Casting him a frightened glance, the girl fled from the room and it was then that Suigetsu knew for certain that the child's life was nothing more than a living hell and that death would be a welcome release. Then again, Suigetsu thought, life as Orochimaru's prisoner was nothing more than a living hell and when death finally came it was a welcome release._

_-End flashback-_

"Ready for this?" Sasuke questioned calmly, his dark eyes focusing on the blonde shinobi that was running towards the Hokage Monument with a dark-haired girl in his arms.

Drawing his sword, Suigetsu nodded slightly hoping that when the girl was old strong enough, she'd kill him for what he would do as soon as the opportunity arose.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Now my brain's contemplating several scenes and I've already got the deal with Madara figured out. What I don't have, however, is the deal with Sasuke figured out so we'll have to see which way my muse decides to go. Anyway, read and review!<p> 


	26. Chapter 26

lostmoonchild: Hey, everybody, thanks for the reviews! I really didn't feel like updating this week since I found out earlier this week that one of my favorite older cousins passed away so I've been pretty depressed. I'm gonna miss her like crazy and right now I'm actually considering just taking a couple weeks off from updating since I honestly don't feel like working on chapters. Hopefully though I'll update next Friday but at this point I don't know. Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty Six<p>

He had known as soon as the first explosions began that he needed to hide his daughter. Scooping the terrified child into his arms, Naruto began running through the streets knowing that as soon as he hid his daughter, he'd be working on defending the village. "Daddy!" Hisoka screamed, hiding her face in the crook of his neck when another explosion went off.

"It's okay, Hi-chan, Daddy's here." Naruto said automatically. "I'm gonna make it okay again. I need you to hide so I can make it okay again."

Hisoka nodded slightly against his neck, tears soaking his jacket. "Has being a parent made you a chicken now, Naruto?" A cool voice questioned patiently.

Naruto spun around, his hand immediately gripping a kunai tightly as he made his daughter scoot onto his back. "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. "I've got a bone to pick with you, you bastard!"

Sasuke smirked slightly as he looked at the two, seeing the absolute terror in the girl's eyes. "Is the Kyuubi going to kill me if I kill that _thing_ on your back?" Sasuke mocked.

"_She_ has a name!" Naruto shouted.

"And you gave it a name? How precious." He watched as the girl buried her face in the crook of Naruto's neck as his Sharingan activated.

Some part of him was pleased that she still feared him and that the Uchiha name was burned so deeply into her brain. Another part, however, was afraid of the murderous look that showed in Naruto's now red eyes. "If you touch her," Naruto snarled, "I will murder you."

"I'd like to see you try."

Suigetsu looked at the terrified child, seeing that her legs were wrapped tightly around the blonde's waist. There was something twisting around the two, something potentially lethal. "Hisoka, I want you to find a safe place to hide." Naruto told the girl calmly. "Stay hidden until someone comes to get you. You remember the password."

Hisoka nodded slightly as she released Naruto's waist, slowly slipping down his back. "Love you, Daddy." Hisoka said quietly.

"Love you too, baby. Now go."

Giving them a frightened look that held so much hatred, Hisoka ran as fast as she could with a red-orange chakra cloak covering her entire being. "Suigetsu." Sasuke said simply.

The white-haired shinobi nodded slightly before starting his chase only to be nearly struck by a clawed hand made entirely of demonic chakra. "If you think," Naruto growled as he crouched down, the first two tails appearing, "I'm going to let you take my daughter away from me then you're sadly mistaken."

Sasuke's Sharingan flared as he moved to distract the blonde, almost amazed at how difficult it was proving to be to get Suigetsu past him. Any attempt made by either man was met with a wall of demonic chakra. "Do you even realize why you want to protect her?" Sasuke demanded.

"She. Is. My. Daughter!"

"Do you really think that anybody from such an elite clan would actually want somebody like you? I bet you're a terrible dad. A dead last idiot can't possibly hope to teach a child anything worthwhile." Sasuke said coldly. "There is nobody in this world that would ever want a dead last loser."

As a third tail leaked out, Naruto knew that any more tails would result in even more damage to the village. Gaining control over his growing anger, the blonde directed his anger towards the two bastards that dared to threaten to take away his child.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

While she knew that this was the place where Sasuke had been born and raised until his departure to Orochimaru, Karin couldn't help but think that the raven had been smart to leave. These shinobi were pitifully weak and their fighting methods proved it as they tried to keep the civilians out of the crossfire.

Karin watched as another building exploded before stopping when she picked up a strange chakra signature. It wasn't the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki's chakra but there were similarities to it. That must have been the girl that Suigetsu was supposed to have taken.

The kunoichi watched as a familiar child ran through the streets with fear in her eyes. She remembered the girl and that Orochimaru had once thought to attempt to combine the Juugo's abilities with the once barely noticeable talents that the child had. The experiment ended in failure but Orochimaru had apparently gained a new favorite toy for when Sasuke wasn't quite so… willing.

"Hello, little one. Remember me?" Karin questioned coolly as she appeared before the girl.

Hisoka's eyes widened in terror as she stepped back, her situation becoming painfully clear when she saw the bloody bodies lying around them. "Go away!" Hisoka screamed, scrambling over to a corpse and grabbing the bloody kunai. "I'll kill you if you don't leave here!"

"Such brave words for such a little girl. Your daddy must be so proud that his little girl is not only the protector of the demon he bears, but is also a killer." Karin commented lightly.

A cloak of demonic chakra coated the girl as Karin attacked, forcing the kunoichi to rethink her attack methods. Normally a child wouldn't be much effort but it was plain to see that she had been storing up a large amount of the Kyuubi's chakra and even some of the Hachibi's. Tiny traces of the Ichibi's chakra could be located but she could easily assume that she had been around the Ichibi's host at one point in time and had taken only a tiny part of that chakra.

Chakra exhaustion would be harder to accomplish with this child due to her ability to easily take some of the Kyuubi's chakra just to defend herself. "You know if you come along with us, nobody else will die." Karin said simply. "You do realize that, right?"

Immediately Hisoka's eyes showed slight interest. "No one will get hurt?" Hisoka questioned.

"Exactly. We just came here for you. Did you realize that there's a reason why they're even letting you live? They figure that such a unique bloodline shouldn't be allowed to fully die and because you're a child, you can be manipulated so easily."

She was lying. Nobody was lying to her about anything! They listened to what she had to say and if it was important, they made sure that Tsunade knew about it! None of them were manipulating her! Naruto even said that if they wanted to get rid of her, he'd run away with her! He'd protect her no matter what!

"Leave her alone, you bitch!"

Hisoka fell backwards as she watched Sakura jump down between her and Karin, seeing the anger in her green eyes. "Come to defend the enemy of mankind?" Karin questioned. "You do realize that by the time she's fifteen, she'll be able to withdraw the Kyuubi and Hachibi from their Jinchuuriki. Do your village and the world a favor and let us take the girl to destroy."

"Hisoka, where's Naruto?" Sakura questioned.

"Fighting with Sasuke and Suigetsu." Hisoka responded immediately. "Kyuu-chan's mad. He wants to kill them."

That much she could have already guessed. "Find somewhere to hide, Hisoka." Sakura told the girl.

Hisoka nodded slightly before making a familiar hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Hisoka shouted.

Four clones appeared next to the original Hisoka, each one taking off in separate directions. Karin gritted her teeth in frustration before glaring hatefully at Sakura. "Just what in the fuck do you think you're looking so proud at?" Karin demanded angrily.

"Right now I'm proud of Konoha's Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja and of Konoha's Spinning Demon." Sakura replied coolly. "I'm also thinking that it's high time to kick your ass from here back to whatever hole you came crawling out of."

With a furious cry of anger, Karin attacked.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"_If you ever escape, I will hunt you down and I will make you wish you had never stepped foot outside."_ Hisoka stumbled as she felt another Shadow Clone vanish, knowing that she and one other clone were still running and looking for a place to hide. She didn't know how Suigetsu had managed to escape her father and Kyuubi but she knew that he had been injured.

It was beyond her why Suigetsu was helping Sasuke when they both knew that he had willingly joined with Orochimaru. After Orochimaru caught her visiting with Suigetsu for the third time, he had let Sasuke vent all of his anger and frustrations out onto her. Then they had moved to a different hideout and they had kept her tucked there until Naruto found her.

A cry of fear left her lips as she realized that another clone had been destroyed, Suigetsu's frustrated expression appearing in her mind. He really was going to take her away from Konoha! She needed to hide!

Her thoughts went back to a place Naruto had taken her once before, a place he swore that not even the best of hunter-nin could locate her. With growing fear, she quickly withdrew enough of the demonic chakra from her being and climbed onto the poorly made fox, clinging desperately as the creature began to run through the rubble.

"_Why are you running? Use the Kyuubi to defend yourself. Kill the attackers!" _A voice shouted in her mind.

_I'm not bad! Kyuu-chan accepted that he couldn't leave Daddy without killing him!_

"_Who said anything about pulling Kyuubi from Naruto? You can feel that Kyuubi's chakra is greater now than before. Use that to destroy everybody."_

_No!_

A cry left her lips as a chakra fox suddenly fell apart, sending her rolling across the ground. She could feel Kyuubi's chakra twisting angrily as his hate rolled over her senses. He wanted to protect her just as her father did and just fighting against Sasuke was making him angrier.

Crawling into the naturally made tunnel at the base of a tree, the girl watched for any signs of trouble. Naruto would know where she had gone and he would find her as soon as it was safe. If Sasuke caught her, Hisoka knew that he'd more than likely beat her within an inch of her life once the older Uchiha gave the all clear. _Momma, help me! Don't let Sasuke-teme hurt Daddy! Momma, please!_

Tears fell down her terrified face as Hisoka watched a pair of feet stop in front of her hiding place. She pressed her hands against her mouth, fighting back the sobs that wanted to leave her lips. "Come on, I'm not going to hurt you. Sasuke, however, might but that's because he hates you." Suigetsu commented. "You know I don't hate you, girly-girl. Hell, I don't really have anything against Konoha. I just made a promise and I'm keeping it, that's all. I'm a man of my word and isn't that what shinobi are supposed to be?"

He was helping Sasuke. She knew Suigetsu wasn't going to hurt her but she knew that Sasuke was. Gray eyes closed tightly in fear as she quietly moved deeper into her hiding place; thumb finding its way into her mouth. "That blonde gave you a pretty name. Hisoka. Why he decided to call you 'secret' is beyond me. You didn't look that bad off when I last saw you but then again, you didn't piss Orochimaru and Sasuke off when we first met."

_Momma, make him go away. Please, please make him go away. Somebody help me. Hachibi! Hachibi, hurry and help protect me! Daddy's fighting against Sasuke-teme! Hachi-kun!_

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He had been feeling restless for about half an hour and if he allowed his thoughts to wander, Killer Bee found himself starting towards Konoha's direction. He couldn't explain what was going on, why he wanted to go to Konoha. Was it possible that Hachibi wanted to see the Kairi girl?

No, the _Uzumaki_ girl. She was Naruto's daughter, not a full member of the Kairi clan. Her mother was a Kairi and Naruto was the last of the Uzumaki clan.

Killer Bee frowned as he caught himself going towards Konoha again, trying to establish what exactly was going on. Was something going on in Konoha that he needed to know about or was it just simple need on the Bijuu's part. It wouldn't have surprised him if it was the latter but he really didn't want to upset his brother.

Shrugging slightly, the Jinchuuriki began running towards Konoha fully aware that either way; he'd be catching hell from his brother.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: So yeah, there's the chapter. Like I said before, I may or may not update next week seeing as this week has been shit and I've been too depressed to really get anywhere in any given story. So hopefully I'll see you guys next week and if not, well, I owe you guys two chapters. Ja ne for now!<p> 


	27. Chapter 27

lostmoonchild: Okay, so I decided that I would update this week. Closure was given and unfortunately today I got my butt chewed twice for giving others the same closure so I'm not pleased. Anyway, I got to thinking when this chapter was written that Kyuu-chan needed a little bit of loving that extended past his random comments so he got that. Here's this week's chapter.

lostmoonchild: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty Seven<p>

Kyuubi hated many things as was to be expected considering how long he had been alive. Out of everything, he supposed he hated the Uchiha clan for all that they had done. Within one century, one Uchiha had managed to control him twice and each time somebody had sealed him within someone of the Uzumaki bloodline.

Originally he had hated the Uzumaki family for sealing him within their bodies. It was easy to hate the first Uzumaki woman and he had no problems hating her with as much passion as he could possibly feel. The second one, that loud red-haired woman as Hisoka so eloquently called her, was harder to hate especially considering she had such a unique way to look at things and a temper to match.

Naruto, Kyuubi discovered as the years steadily dragged on, was almost impossible to hate. Oh, it was possible to hate the loud blonde but it was harder than hell. Kyuubi was fairly certain that he had hated his Kairi keeper more than he found himself able to hate the often-slow blonde.

Which was why he was, for lack of better terms, royally pissed. He had gotten the feeling from the first moment he saw the younger Uchiha that only misery would be brought by the raven-haired boy. After his defection to that creepy snake-shinobi, it had been him to remind the blonde that it wasn't the end of the world. Naruto could become stronger due to having such a large chakra reserve and the Kyuubi no Youko at his command.

Naruto just needed to prove that he was ready to control the chakra that was being offered.

Right now the thing that Kyuubi hated most was the knowledge that his host, his precious jailor and child, was now fighting the one person that Naruto had considered to be a brother at one point. He could feel Naruto's pain as the two fought against each other, Chidori meeting Rasengan several times.

The physical pain that he knew Naruto was feeling was nothing compared to the feelings that he was being bombarded with. They both were angry that Sasuke had harmed _their_ child and was destroying their home. As far as Kyuubi was concerned, Sasuke should be more afraid of what would happen when he broke free of Naruto and went to avenge his precious Temptation.

After all, no one that had ever pissed off a demon lived to tell the tale and those that did eventually died a horrible death.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

None of them knew how exactly the two shinobi were still standing. Blood poured from every open wound; their eyes dull as they panted for air. "You should have kept relying on that demon's chakra, dobe." Sasuke panted. "You may have won."

"I'm not dead so you haven't won yet." Naruto retorted. "Even if I had died, Kyuubi would have popped right out and taken your ass down before going to Hisoka. He won't destroy Konoha if she tells him not to. None of them will."

"You seem so certain."

"Sasuke! Suigetsu found her!" Karin shouted.

The raven smirked slightly as he backed away, seeing the look of horror and anger in the blonde's red eyes. "Looks I win, dobe." Sasuke commented. "Let's go."

Naruto attacked just as Sasuke vanished with Karin and Juugo following close behind. With a growl, the blonde began running towards where he felt Hisoka pulling only to find himself never getting closer to the edges of the village. With widening eyes, the blonde cursed himself as he realized he was caught in a genjutsu and despite trying to dispel it, found himself unable to. "Somebody help!" Naruto shouted as the village faded away and he was trapped in a smothering darkness that had no escape.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

His entire body hurt from the injuries that Naruto had given him and add on the screams that were currently leaving the girl's lips, Sasuke would have been impressed if the girl lasted all the way back to the hideout. "Shut up already!" Sasuke snapped at the girl, the back of his hand meeting her cheek.

Hisoka's screams stopped as her entire body was jerked, gray eyes glaring hatefully at Sasuke before she attempted to bite Suigetsu. "Knock it off!" Suigetsu shouted as he jerked his hand away again. "Damn it! A year of freedom and you're already trying to kick ass."

From the injuries that Karin was currently tending to on Sasuke, it was safe to say that her father had landed quite a few good hits. It was also safe to say that they'd be taking her to where the older Uchiha was and where he was, the other Bijuu would be there too. If that was the case then she could easily restore her reserves using their chakra and perhaps figure out how to break them free. "Put a chakra inhibitor on her. I don't want anybody to follow us." Sasuke said as he forced himself to his feet. "Especially Naruto."

Tears gathered in Hisoka's eyes as she fought against them, cries for her mother starting to leave her lips. It was almost pitiful watching her fight while crying for her mother, occasionally crying out for Naruto. "Nobody's going to get you so you might as well stop." Juugo told the girl. "For your sake, however, you'd be smart to do as you're asked."

With a tear-filled glare, Hisoka looked at him before replying, "I hope you rot in hell."

Sasuke smirked slightly as he replied, "As far as I'm concerned, you stupid girl, you've just stepped foot _into_ hell."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_Was it terrible, Naruto wondered as he felt one of Kyuubi's tails wrap around him, that he was seeking comfort from the King of Demons? "I failed." Naruto said softly, his eyes dull._

"_So why are you in here sulking? That Hokage of yours already fixed the Sharingan's effects on your brain so wake the hell up so we can fix our little fuck up!"_

_Naruto looked at Kyuubi, seeing that there was something within the fox demon's eyes that didn't seem to belong. Was it possible he was upset too? "So it's true then." Naruto said softly. "I knew when we couldn't feel her pulling on us anymore but…"_

"_They didn't kill her yet. She's more useful to them alive than otherwise." Kyuubi replied. "They know you and Hachibi's Jinchuuriki will go running to rescue her. That's when they'll make their attack."_

"_So what? We just leave her there?"_

_Over the few years he had spent actually talking to the fox demon, Naruto learned to tell when the demon was actually grinning. "Of course not, idiot boy. We show them why in the hell playing with demons is like playing with fire." Kyuubi replied simply. "If we kill your precious Sasuke in the process then so be it. It'll be more humane than what I'm certain your daughter is already planning for him."_

"_You think Hi-chan will really kill Sasuke?"_

"_No. She'll probably let the other seven Bijuu that he's more than likely pissed off have at him." Kyuubi pressed his nose to the blonde and lightly nudged him until he was standing. "Now wake up. Hachibi's Jinchuuriki's already here and he's not pleased."_

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, knowing immediately that he was in the hospital. He could hear Killer Bee shouting at somebody in the hallway and smiled softly as he slowly got up. "You're loud." Naruto commented as he opened the door.

Killer Bee immediately entered the room, his eyes reflecting exactly what it was that he felt. "How in the world did this happen, man?" Killer Bee questioned. "I thought you had her protected?"

"She went to the hiding spot I showed her and I don't know what happened after that." Naruto reported. "I know she got there though. I just don't know what happened."

The blonde barely noticed when Tsunade entered the room and grunted when she shoved him back into bed. "I assume you've already realized that Hisoka's gone." Tsunade said with a small frown as she checked over the blonde.

"I'm going to get her back."

"No, you're going to let somebody else get her back. If you go, you'll be walking into their trap."

"If I don't go and she's reverted back to when I first found her, no one's gonna get her to do a damn thing."

"Do not make me put you somewhere you can't break out of."

He was tempted to tell Tsunade that he'd already been there and had managed to slip out but decided to keep his mouth shut. "She'll be fine for a while anyway." Naruto said with absolute determination. "I taught her a few things that aren't technically taught in the Academy."

"Such as?"

"You don't want to know. Believe me."

Giving him a look that said plainly she expected him to keep his ass in the village, Tsunade sighed. "There's no damage so you can leave. I'm warning you, stay in the village." Tsunade told him.

"Yes, ma'am."

Waiting until after Tsunade had left and after ensuring that nobody was listening, the two Jinchuuriki looked at each other. "Well?" Killer Bee questioned.

"If they make one attempt to kill her," Naruto told the older man, "get ready to hear about the other Bijuu suddenly appearing. I taught her to break seals."

"What? Do you know what that could mean for us? I'm not doubting which side she's on but if she ever decided to flip sides…"

Naruto sighed softly before answering, "If anybody's gonna free the others, it's gonna be her. Anybody else will get killed and you know it."

"Still. Teaching her to break seals isn't the smartest!"

"She won't flip sides. Believe it."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

So this was the child that had the whole world in an uproar of excitement and fear. Madara smirked to himself as he stared at the girl, seeing that she had already picked up where the seven Bijuu were. "So you're the Kairi that's been making the Bijuu so excited. I must say I'm impressed that something so small is so powerful already." Madara forced the girl to look at him. "Tell me, can you hear them?"

"Do. Not. Touch. Me." Hisoka said as she knocked the older man's hand away from her, blue fire surrounding the girl. "My father will come and he will kick your ass."

Sasuke clenched his fist as he listened to the girl, irritated by how confident she sounded that Naruto would indeed come for her. "If he comes, he'll die." Madara said simply. "Don't worry, removing the Bijuu won't be painful and since he's an Uzumaki, he'll survive for a few minutes afterwards so you can say your goodbyes."

Gray eyes narrowed hatefully before turning towards where they knew the Bijuu were kept in the King of Hell statue. _"Run! Get away from here, precious!"_ One of them called.

"_Get out of here!"_

"_Run!"_

The hate faded away as she listened to the numbers whisper in her mind with each desperate plea, her fingers moving softly as if stroking them in a loving manner. _"You must survive! Don't let them kill you!"_

Casting a glance at her captors, Hisoka calmed her rapidly beating heart. Yes, she was terrified of what they would do but there was no one to hide behind here and the Bijuu needed her to be strong. Curling her lips into a cold smile that she had seen in her nightmares, Hisoka replied smoothly, "Fuck you."

With a single slap, the world around her grew dark and she knew no more.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I couldn't resist having Hisoka swear at Sasuke or Madara since Sasuke is and possibly will forever be "Sasuke-teme" in her book. I also couldn't resist having Kyuu-chan offer comfort to Naruto or having Naruto teach his little girl how to break seals. So yeah, I'll see you guys next week! Read and review!<p> 


	28. Chapter 28

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, everybody! You know I got up this morning with full intentions of going to work only to discover that I wasn't needed today sooo that means UPDATE! Umm, I have an announcement to make which I'll make at the end of the chapter so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Twenty Eight<p>

Hours slipped by and when he saw the girl slipping through the hallways with the skills of a shinobi, Madara couldn't have been more pleased. He knew where she was heading and when she entered the large room where the King of Hell statue waited with seven of the nine Bijuu sealed within, he nearly chuckled with glee.

The statue was all wrong and it scared her. Hisoka forced herself to go up to the statue and touched it, feeling the pleasant chakra from the demons rushing over her flesh. "Hello. I'm Hisoka." Hisoka said finally. "Don't worry, I'm not like the ones that just wanted to use you guys to fight. I just want you guys to be safe, okay? When we get free, I'm gonna talk to the Kages and see if you guys can't run around. We might have to make up some kind of agreement. Daddy, he's Kyuu-chan's Jinchuuriki, says that it's called 'compromise' but I don't think Lord Raikage's going to be thrilled."

"_I want humans!"_ Ichibi shouted at her.

"No. Gaara will make sure you're locked up again, Ichi-kun. I don't want you guys locked up anymore. At least, not in something like this."

"_We were protected in the humans."_ Rokubi responded patiently. _"We lent them our abilities and they could protect both us and themselves. Those that had courage 'tamed' us and 'gained control' over our chakra."_

"_The Akatsuki captured us and killed our hosts."_ Shichibi added. _"The pain was unimaginable as we were torn from them."_

Hisoka's fingers ran over the cold stone, her gray eyes dull as she listened to them. "I heard already what happened." Hisoka said softly. "I'm so sorry I wasn't awake sooner. I'm sorry I didn't get free before you were all captured. I'm here now, okay? Don't be mad at me. I'm really sorry. I'll be better so none of you get hurt anymore."

She felt Nibi's chakra move into her body and exit, forming a cat that nuzzled against her. _"Not mad at our beautiful protector. Our guardian."_ Nibi purred. _"You were given back to us. A kind child, a beautiful angel."_

Tears gathered in Hisoka's eyes as she wrapped her arms around the chakra creature, knowing that in moments it would vanish. Once it did, she fell to her knees and began crying as the Bijuu steadily began placing within her their chakra.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"_She found them."_

Naruto wasn't entirely sure how exactly Kyuubi knew but he supposed it had something to do with the feeling of peace that had settled within them. From the look on Killer Bee's face, he and Hachibi were experiencing the same feeling. "Ready?" Naruto asked softly.

"Yeah."

This was a dangerous act they were about to do, one that went against what Tsunade had told them. While Killer Bee wasn't worried about escaping to rescue the one person that their Bijuu adored, he was worried about what would happen if they were caught. He didn't know much about the extraction process other than the ultimate result was death to the host. Dying was just something he wasn't interested in doing until he was ready for it.

The two Jinchuuriki started running towards the edge of the village, each one feeling their demon's chakra moving through their bodies. Never before had they felt the temptation to simply shift over to their Bijuu's form to hurry to anybody. It felt strange to have the uncalled chakra flowing through their bodies, to feel the world around them pulsating. Was this how the world felt to the Bijuu? Was this that world that his daughter felt when she was filled to the brim with Kyuubi's chakra?

They stopped when they saw five people standing ahead of them, a growl of frustration leaving Naruto's lips when he saw who it was. "We know what Granny Tsunade said but we need to get Hisoka!" Naruto shouted in frustration.

"Easy, Naruto. We had a feeling that you two would go ahead and get her so we decided to go along." Kakashi told the blonde.

"You're not the only one that loves Hisoka." Sakura reminded him.

"We were about to shift over to Bijuu form to go faster." Killer Bee said finally. "I suppose it'd be fine if they rode on us."

Naruto nodded slightly before looking at his friends. "If Hi-chan managed to break through the seal that's holding the other Bijuu, don't attack or they will kill you. If a fight between us and another Bijuu breaks out, get out of the way." Naruto told them.

It was strange seeing the blonde act serious and knowledgeable regarding the Bijuu but Shikamaru supposed it was just something that came along with having a daughter that could control the Bijuu and having a demon sealed inside him. He knew that if he ever thought to ask Temari, the blonde woman would have absolutely no idea about anything other than the bloodthirsty part.

They watched as the two shinobi allowed the Bijuu chakra to extend to the point bones, muscles, and flesh were gained. "Get on." Naruto growled, crouching low for them to climb onto his head.

Killer Bee followed the blonde's motions and waited patiently until Sai and Sakura had climbed on. It was strange to be riding on a Bijuu's head and as the wind whistled past them, the group knew that things were about to get a whole lot stranger.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He knew that as Kazekage he couldn't just up and leave somewhere but something told him that he needed to leave. There was something wrong and his gut told him it had something to do with his goddaughter. His siblings had easily caught on to the situation and had followed him, neither one complaining as their bodies grew tired.

Then he sensed them long before their forms appeared in the distance.

Two hairless creatures came charging, each one larger than what a normal animal should be and each one containing more tails than a normal animal. Counting eight tails on one and nine on the other, Gaara smiled softly to himself. He knew these creatures and had a suspicion that they had felt the same thing.

Temari and Kankuro braced themselves, their eyes showing fear at the impending creatures. "Gaara!" Sakura called when they stopped.

Gaara nodded slightly as he watched the two creatures vanish, their human containers reclaiming their original bodies. "You felt it too?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"I was a Jinchuuriki at one point, Naruto, and Ichibi's chakra as well as Kyuubi's chakra does still linger in my body however small the amounts may be." Gaara replied. "Now, how exactly did they get their hands on my goddaughter?"

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"You can't stay mad forever, girly-girl. I mean, starving yourself just because you're pissed isn't doing you any good." Suigetsu said patiently. "Just eat something."

Hisoka stared icily at him for a moment before answering, "To normal humans, Bijuu chakra is very lethal. It'd be a shame if you ingested any of San-kun's chakra playing around in the water or even taking a drink."

Sasuke didn't know where the girl had gotten her nerve but if he hadn't been told to keep his hands off of her, Sasuke knew he would have beaten the girl senseless by now. He wanted to kill her so badly he could almost taste it. However, Madara didn't say that he couldn't make the girl eat by force.

Grabbing the girl and pinching her nose shut, Sasuke waited patiently until she opened her mouth to gasp for air before shoving her dinner into the moist cavern, slamming her jaw shut until she swallowed. Before he had a chance to do it again, a wave of white chakra shoved him back and sent electricity through his entire being. "Arigato, Go-kun!" Hisoka sang happily as she watched Sasuke's body twitch.

Karin glared hatefully at the happy little girl, knowing that she was enjoying playing her twisted little game with them. If they touched her, she'd release one of the Bijuu's chakra and then laugh as they suffered the effects. More than once she had taken the Yonbi's chakra to Suigetsu and had simply giggled as he struggled to hydrate himself again.

Juugo and herself had yet to be attacked by the Bijuu's chakra and Madara seemed to be interested in how easily she manipulated it to her will. Karin just had the feeling that Hisoka was waiting for the right moment or for the proper levels of a specific chakra to build itself up in her system again before she attacked them all with full killing intent. "You little brat!" Sasuke shouted as soon as his body stopped twitching, his Sharingan spinning angrily.

A cry of fear left Hisoka's lips as she ran, crashing into walls as she fled. Sasuke smirked in satisfaction when the girl vanished from sight before grunting softly as he looked at the scorched flesh. The Gobi's chakra, huh? That Bijuu must have had control over electricity. Gods he was going to murder that brat in her sleep if she didn't start treading lightly.

No, what she needed was a reminder why she was nothing more than an insignificant bug to him. "Are you okay, Sasuke-kun? Let me see." Karin said with a look that told him she was concerned for his physical well-being.

"I'm fine. I'm just going to remind that brat where she stands."

"We were told not to touch her."

"I didn't say I was going to lay a hand on her."

With his Sharingan still spinning angrily, the Uchiha calmly started walking in the direction that the girl had fled full anticipating the sound of her screams that would soon become music to his ears.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Madara frowned to himself as he watched the scene between Hisoka and Sasuke play out before him, watching as the girl tried to defend herself against the Sharingan by attacking Sasuke with everything she could possibly hope to throw at him. It was a pointless fight, he knew, but it gave him the opportunity to see how much longer he could afford to keep her around the Bijuu.

He knew that she had already started searching for any weaknesses in the King of Hell statue and was trying to refrain from using any of the Bijuu's chakra in favor of filling her tiny body as full as she could manage just to destroy the statue. It was painfully clear that she was already filled with some of the Hachibi and Kyuubi's chakras so all that really remained was for her to fill herself with the remaining seven Bijuu's chakras.

The elder Uchiha stepped out of the shadows when Sasuke managed to catch the girl in a genjutsu, knowing full well from the sound of her screams that he was showing her what exactly he'd do to everybody she loved. Grabbing the girl, Madara looked carefully at her hair and frowned when he saw the multi-colored tufts of hair. "Kill her." Madara stated coolly as he dropped the glassy-eyed child onto the floor. "I don't care how, but I want her dead."

Suddenly there was a rumble beneath them and both Uchiha stared when they saw that the King of Hell statue was trembling, the eyes beginning to crack. Madara's eyes widened in horror upon realizing that the girl and the Bijuu had merely been waiting for this moment to arrive. As he and Sasuke stepped back, they heard in the far distance two terrifying roars that told them that death would not be far away if they remained.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Hehe, when Bijuu attack. That'd actually be an interesting story to attempt (later though, I think) so that'll have to go in the notebook. Anyway, I found out from my boss that I'll be working weekends (Fridays included) for the next month so updating may get a little hectic. Also, I agreed to make five child outfits so those have taken priority over writing fanfics (blasphemy, I know) but they're for Halloween and I've got about two weeks to get them all done for the munchkins. So read and review and hopefully I'll have an update for you guys next week. Ja ne!<p> 


	29. Chapter 29

lostmoonchild: Oh my god! It's an update! Haha, thanks for the reviews and for being soo patient. I got the costumes done earlier this week after having finally gotten a sewing machine so I'm one happy girl. So here's the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue!

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><p>Chapter Twenty Nine<p>

None of them had been expecting Killer Bee and Naruto to suddenly shift over to their Bijuu forms but when they did, chills of pure terror went down their spines at the furious roars that left their lips. There was wild fury in their eyes as they charged towards a mountain; tails wildly swinging and destroying all that was struck. "What's going on?" Sakura shouted as they followed a safe distance behind.

"Something's happened! Hisoka is calling all the Bijuu to protect her!" Gaara responded, his face showing discomfort as the Bijuu chakra within him was called.

Kakashi felt fear roll throughout his body, distant memories of the Third Great Shinobi war surfacing. He remembered the first time he had met a Kairi, how easily that person manipulated the dangerous chakra while in a panic. That person hadn't been underestimated by anybody but he couldn't remember what exactly had happened to the person. All he could remember was seeing a familiar grin before he was flicked on the forehead as he was told that he would show her something important one day. He didn't recall ever seeing the person leave nor could he remember her name. _"It's a secret."_ Who had it been?

The group skidded to a stop as a white Bijuu with five tails appeared, moving from side to side as a huge bug flew away only to land in front of Naruto's nine-tailed body. As they cautiously approached, they could hear the low growls and buzzing as the Bijuu talked to each other. As far as these monsters were concerned, Kakashi noted, they were nothing more than ants that were to be ignored. "Yonbi went after Suigetsu. Nibi after Karin." Naruto growled, the nine tails swishing in irritation. "Ichibi decided to have fun with Juugo but all of them retreated when Hisoka called them back."

"And Sasuke?" Sakura questioned.

Gobi seemed to smile at the question, sending chills down the pinkette's spine. _"Sooner or later, I'll get him."_ Gobi responded, its eyes flashing with excitement. _"Our beautiful protector is in need of help. If you know what's good for you, human, you will not let her die."_

Sakura felt a chill go down her spine and as they went into the remains of the mountain, it felt as if they were walking into some dangerous enemy's territory. Naruto and Killer Bee had managed to shift back to their human appearances but still they could see the demonic traces on the two Jinchuuriki's features as Gobi led them into a large cavern full of lightly growling demons.

Naruto's blue eyes looked around frantically before seeing a small body resting tenderly in Yonbi's large hand. "Hisoka!" Naruto shouted as he rushed forward with the others following.

The Sand Siblings froze when they saw Ichibi watching with a look of conflicting emotions in his eyes before looking at Hisoka as if hearing her say something. "I'm her dad. Give her to me." Naruto told Yonbi, his breath catching as the large gorilla-like Bijuu carefully handed Hisoka over.

The small girl was barely breathing, her distant gray eyes only half open. "Sakura-chan, she's not breathing much!" Naruto told the pinkette.

While it wasn't her idea of being surrounded by demons while treating a patient, Sakura knew she couldn't be picky. As soon as Naruto set her down on the ground, Sakura knelt down next to her and concentrated as she checked the girl's vitals before working on her chakra system. "Her natural charka's almost completely gone. Her body can't handle the amount of Bijuu chakra in her system at the moment." Sakura told the blonde. "Hisoka, can you hear me?"

Gaara's eyes fell on the girl's hands, watching as they slowly moved. "Naruto." Gaara said calmly, drawing the blonde's attention to the girl's hands.

"D-A-D-D-Y. H-O-M-E."

Tears spilled from Naruto's eyes as he knelt over to kiss his daughter's forehead. "We'll go home as soon as possible, honey." Naruto said softly.

"H-U-R-T-S. D-I-E."

While Sai wasn't familiar with all of his emotions yet, he was fully aware of fear. To watch Hisoka's fingers slowly spell 'die' put more fear into him than he was comfortable with. "You're not going to die." Naruto said firmly.

Hisoka slowly blinked, her breath catching for a moment before Sakura rolled her onto her side and preceded to slap the child's back until she started coughing, desperately gasping for air when her coughing fit subsided. "W-A-N-T. D-I-E." Hisoka slowly spelled. "P-L-E-A-S-E."

Naruto clenched his fist as he stroked her hair with his other hand, ever mindful of his nails. "No, you can't leave me yet. I just got used to the idea that I'm actually your dad." Naruto forced a small laugh. "This isn't any different than the first time you were found by us except this time the monsters are still hanging around and we've got new people."

The Bijuu gave low growls of disapproval but watched as Sakura carefully treated their protector. The air was practically filled to the breaking point with worry for the child. "Hi-chan, did any of them do anything?"

The whimper that left her lips answered Sakura's question as the pinkette began working on the bruises and cuts. "It's mostly the Bijuu chakra that's causing her pain." Sakura reported. "She took in too much."

Naruto kissed his daughter's forehead before whispering, "Wanna destroy something?"

Hisoka nodded slightly and whimpered as her glazed eyes landed on the partially destroyed King of Hell statue. "Go ahead." Gaara encouraged the girl. "No one will complaint."

_Move._

Hisoka's glazed eyes watched as the Bijuu moved out of her way, darkness overcoming her as a wave of demonic chakra left her body and crashed into the King of Hell statue, turning it into rubble once and for all.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He had once thought that his little brother was scary when it came to being bloodthirsty and listening to Ichibi but today just proved that he knew nothing of fear. Being followed by seven newly released demons, being near two Jinchuuriki that still retained demonic features, and watching his baby brother comfort a now feverish Kairi child was an all new level. Now that he thought about it, it was a level he hadn't even considered.

"You can't come into the village." Naruto told the Bijuu, not bothering to look at them.

"_Our protector."_ Nibi growled.

"Then use what chakra is in her body still to check on her." There was irritation in the blonde's voice but softness in his now red eyes as he watched Hisoka snuggle against Gaara.

The amount of natural chakra left her body was almost nonexistent but she seemed to be holding on as tightly as she could. Kankuro was almost impressed by the sheer will that such a small child could even hope to have. Clearly she was Naruto's daughter although he still wasn't entirely sure he could get used to the idea. There was just something strange about the blonde actually having a kid and nobody even knowing about it until whenever he found her.

Gaara held the girl close to him, listening to the girl's soft breaths. He knew she was sleeping but it made him nervous considering he knew how sick she was. "Hide." Hisoka murmured in her sleep.

A glance behind showed the Bijuu managing to hide themselves as they approached the village. How exactly Hisoka knew where they were while unconscious was beyond him but he had a feeling it had something to do with the Bijuu chakra that still lingered within her body.

An hour later the group found themselves waiting in the hospital waiting room with Naruto and Killer Bee looking completely normal again. Naruto had spent about twenty minutes trying to explain his daughter's 'condition' when the doctor made a comment about it. "She's a Jinchuuriki without the Bijuu!" Naruto ended up shouting in frustration.

Gaara listened carefully when the blonde was finally asked about the girl's medical history, taking note of her intolerance to milk and reaction to certain medications. He wasn't entirely sure he could remember that off of the top of his head but from how calm Naruto was when it came to the medical aspects of his daughter's care, it was something he was familiar with. "How do you remember her medical history so easily?" Gaara asked finally.

"She spent a few months in the hospital and then went in every month or so afterwards for checkups to make sure Orochimaru didn't do anything else." Naruto responded wearily. "I'll give you a copy of all the important stuff like the drug and food allergies."

Gaara nodded slightly as they waited for news regarding the girl's condition. Time seemed to mean nothing in that waiting room before the doctor came out again. "We managed to get her temperature back down to a more tolerable level but she's still a very sick little girl." The doctor told them. "We've detected nine different Bijuu chakra types in her chakra system with very little human chakra remaining."

"Sakura-san has already determined that." Gaara stated calmly. "Hisoka Uzumaki is my goddaughter so I expect that her care will be to the best of everybody's abilities."

"Yes, Lord Kazekage." The doctor bowed slightly. "She's in a room now if anybody would like to see her."

"Lead the way."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Damn it! Months of hard work, painstakingly taking each Bijuu and locking them away all blown to hell!

Madara breathed heavily in anger, his entire body shaking with rage as he stared at the destroyed statue. How in the hell could this have happened? He had seen with his own eyes how weak she had become from her little fast so how could she have possibly stored away so much Bijuu chakra?

It didn't matter. While he was furious that all the Akatsuki's hard work had been ruined within fifteen minutes, he knew now just what exactly he was up against. Another statue could be made and the Sharingan could easily control the Bijuu. It wasn't like he didn't have an idea as to where the Bijuu would be now anyway since they wouldn't want to leave their protector for a while anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Madara looked at Sasuke and the others, watching the cautious looks flicker across his descendant's teammates' faces. "We'll get them back and this time the girl will die first." Madara stated finally. "There will be no more mistakes."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I'm personally thinking that Gobi is going to be loads of fun to mess with and I'm not entirely sure why my muse wants Gobi to have a deeper hate of Sasuke but I'm amused by it so it's all good. So yeah, my updates should be back on track unless something pops up that'll mess with it so read and review!<p> 


	30. Chapter 30

lostmoonchild: *singing* Once in a month when the moon is full some secret place shall ye gather- *jumps* Holy crap! It's Friday already? Hehe, I'm currently listening to "I Hear You Calling" by Chalice and Blade while updating stories and getting hyper cause I'm thinking about SoDak in 2012. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty<p>

Time had no meaning to the girl as she dove in and out of consciousness. Everybody's speech was garbled and they blended together. By the fifth day, she had broken free of her temperature and smiled a little when she saw her father's worried blue eyes. "Daddy," she mouthed with a smile.

"Hey, baby. Welcome back." Naruto kissed her fingers as unshed tears gathered. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired." Hisoka responded.

Naruto nodded slightly in understanding, not caring at the moment that his daughter was mouthing words. "You were pretty sick, honey." Naruto murmured. "Gaara sent a letter to Granny Tsunade telling her that we got you back but you needed to be in the hospital."

"Where are we?" Hisoka asked finally.

"Suna. Kakashi, Sakura, Sai, and Hinata are here. Killer Bee's even here too so don't be surprised if you feel Hachibi's chakra."

"What about the others?"

"Hiding. The shinobi from around here get glimpses of them but they haven't attacked any humans or even made any attempts to leave."

Hisoka closed her eyes and smiled faintly when she felt her father's warm hand on her forehead. "I thought I was gonna lose you, Hi-Hi." Naruto told her finally. "We lost your mom already and I don't want to lose you too."

"I'm sorry."

"Just… Just don't try to suck up so much chakra. I know you're a tough kid but too much demonic charka's gonna fuck up your entire chakra system. Hinata's already fixed a few points that were damaged so you got pretty lucky."

Hisoka nodded sleepily before grabbing Naruto's hand and putting it on her head. "Pet my hair?" Hisoka questioned sleepily.

Naruto smiled softly as he began stroking the girl's soft hair, paying no attention to the multicolored locks that now grew. "Go to sleep, honey. I'll be here when you wake up again."

"M'kay."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Gaara was used to being the one with insomnia and as he watched Naruto diligently keep watch over the sleeping child, he wondered if a father's love was as strong as a mother's love. "The other Kages are upset over the events that's happened." Gaara told the blonde.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that one."

Gaara leaned against the wall, watching as Hisoka shifted slightly in her sleep. He couldn't deny that she was looking better and from what he understood from the medics, her human chakra was restoring itself while the Bijuu chakra was steadily growing again. It was making many of them nervous. "She'll need to be taken out of the village to blow off the extra chakra." Gaara stated patiently.

"Yeah. You know, I wouldn't blame you if you decided you didn't want to be her godfather anymore."

The blonde yelped in surprise when Gaara slapped the back of his head, the familiar frown showing on the redhead's features. "I agreed even after having heard everything that was wrong with the girl before. Anything that happens afterwards will be accepted as well." Gaara said patiently.

"Then when she wakes up, and I know she will, with a wet bed then you'll have to come with just to see how to get her back to sleep."

"Wet bed?"

"Hi-chan has a problem with keeping sheets dry after a traumatic experience. It's the post traumatic stress thing."

Then he was going to assume the sudden stop in using her voice was another way she expressed her discomfort over a situation. "I see." Gaara said simply. "Very well then."

Naruto kissed Hisoka's forehead, murmuring softly to her something Gaara couldn't hear before he stood up and stretched. "Well, I suppose I'm gonna have to make some kind of report for the record since I know all sorts of hell's gonna be raised." Naruto sighed softly as he looked at Gaara. "Right?"

Gaara nodded slightly before answering, "It can wait until tomorrow if you want."

"Nah, let's get it over with tonight so I can think about what I'm gonna tell Granny Tsunade and everyone else."

"How about the truth?"

"Yeah, but some of it makes her seem like a monster or something."

Okay, he had to give the blonde credit on some of that. If he hadn't been there in person, he wouldn't have believed that the girl was trying to defend herself. Hell, he didn't even think he would have believed that the Bijuu were following along willingly if he hadn't seen it for himself.

The redhead watched as Naruto gave the girl one final kiss before following him out of the hospital room. "The doctors think she'll be able to leave in a couple days." Gaara told the blonde.

"Yeah, that's what I heard. I also heard a couple of the nurses are refusing to take care of her."

"I didn't hear about that."

"Just forget it. There's nurses in Konoha that are refusing the same thing."

"I'm impressed you haven't been yelling about it."

Naruto sighed and for the first time that Gaara could remember, Naruto looked defeated. "It pisses me off cause she's a kid and didn't do a damn thing but people are still acting like she's going to destroy everything just to show she can." Naruto said softly. "I know what she wants for the Bijuu but I don't know how to explain that convincing even one person to agree is impossible."

Teal eyes stared calmly at the blonde for a moment before Gaara replied, "If I remember correctly, doing the impossible is something that people with the Uzumaki last name happen to be good at."

"So if she went and told you that she thinks the Bijuu should be allowed to run around under the condition they leave humans alone, you'd go for it?" There was entertainment in Naruto's eyes.

Gaara frowned slightly as he thought, knowing full well that Ichibi would be the one left in the desert. "Since it'd be Ichibi that'd stay here, I don't know." Gaara said finally.

"I don't know either. In some ways I can see why it'd be good but in others, I just don't know if it'll work. I mean, Hi-chan wants to be a kunoichi and if she gets killed while on a mission then all hell's gonna break loose again." Naruto sighed softly. "A kid has pretty interesting dreams. Maybe someday demons and humans will get along."

"I wouldn't count on it but perhaps someday."

Comfortable silence overcame them as they walked back towards Gaara's house knowing that parts of the truth would be taken out. After all, there was no truth that was completely honest in the shinobi world.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Bored.

That was the one and only word Hisoka could think of to describe her situation at that exact moment. She knew full well that the grownups were off explaining what had happened to Tsunade who had come in only two hours before to make sure she was receiving adequate treatment. Gaara had made it a point to introduce Tsunade to the nurses that would be around her which seemed to make the busty Hokage relax immensely.

Now they were all gone and she was bored out of her mind. She could feel the Bijuu outside the village and smiled softly to herself. This was okay. They were still running free around the village and leaving the humans alone. Had they shown themselves to the Kages before hiding again?

The girl's gray eyes suddenly flickered to the door upon seeing sudden movement, curiosity showing as she leaned forward. "Who's there?" Hisoka questioned.

A boy with medium brown colored hair poked his head into the room, his dark green eyes holding caution. "Are you the demon everybody says is staying here?" The boy questioned.

Hisoka frowned slightly before answering, "I'm not a demon. I'm a girl. My name's Hisoka Uzumaki."

The boy eyed her carefully for a moment as if trying to determine if she really was human. "My name's Kenji Hara." The boy said as he stepped into the room. "Is it true what the grownups are saying? That you can make demons do what you want?"

"I don't know. They just seem to like me." Curiosity showed on Hisoka's face. "How come you're here? You don't look sick or hurt."

"My mom's a medic-nin. Did you have a nurse that has one arm?"

"Uh huh. She came in while Gaara and Granny Tsunade was in here."

Kenji's face paled slightly before he said quickly, "You're supposed to talk respectful about the Kages!"

Hisoka wrinkled her nose before answering; "Daddy calls Gaara by his first name and always calls Granny Tsunade that."

"Who is your dad?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Kenji crawled onto the bed, his dark green eyes questioning. "Where's your mom?"

"She died when I was a baby."

Kenji fidgeted slightly before answering, "Sorry. My dad ditched us. He said something about not wanting a cripple for a wife."

"Losing an arm doesn't make you a cripple. I saw this one person that didn't have any arms and they did everything with their feet."

"Nuh huh."

"Uh huh! Then they died in some experiment gone wrong."

Kenji stared for a moment at the sudden look of sadness in Hisoka's eyes. "It's okay. My mom says that the gods take back the people they love most." Kenji said. "She also says that the good people are taken to a really good place where they don't want anything."

Hisoka wrinkled her nose slightly. "What if you don't have anything you want?" Hisoka asked.

"I don't know."

The two children stared at each other for a moment before answering, "You didn't tell me why you're here. Aren't you supposed to be in school or something?" Hisoka asked.

"Day off. Someone blew up the toilets."

"And since you had the day off, you decided to see if there really is a demon in the hospital?" Hisoka laughed a little.

Kenji blushed slightly as he grinned while rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I've never seen a demon before. My mom says they're scary."

Hisoka shook her head. "They're not scary. Most of the time they're mad so that makes them seem scary but they're always nice to me." Hisoka responded.

The two children talked about whatever crossed their minds until a nurse came in. "Kenji! What're you doing here?" The nurse asked.

"Hi, Mom! Hi-chan and I were just talking." Kenji responded.

Hisoka stared at the nurse; seeing that her dark auburn hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and that she was carrying a clipboard. "Hi, Akina-san!" Hisoka said brightly.

"Hello, Hisoka. How are you feeling today?" Akina questioned.

"Good. Can I go outside today?"

"I believe Lord Kazekage said something about you needing to blow off a little bit of chakra. Stick out your tongue please."

Hisoka did as she was asked, watching as Akina wrote down the results. "Hey, Mom, when Hi-chan goes to blow off chakra, can I go with?" Kenji questioned.

"We'll see, honey."

"Well, at least she's behaving herself. Last time I had to take care of something while she was in the hospital, she managed to escape three times within an hour." Naruto laughed as he entered the room.

"Hi, Daddy!"

Akina's face turned slightly red as she looked at Naruto, seeing that the blonde was grinning broadly. "How's my girl doing today?" Naruto questioned.

"Everything seems to be in order, Naruto-sama. Hisoka-chan seems to be doing well this morning and if she continues to improve, she should be allowed to leave the hospital tomorrow."

Naruto grinned as he kissed his daughter's forehead, laughing when she playfully grabbed his hair and lightly pulled. "Daddy, I wanna play with the Bijuu for a little bit. Please? I'm bored."

"I thought you liked the hospital, Hi-chan." Naruto teased.

The girl wrinkled her nose before playfully grabbing her father's hands and pulling. "I'm gonna die of boredom!" Hisoka moaned as she flopped onto her side. "Please, Daddy!"

It was amusing to see how father and daughter reacted around each other. Akina could see plainly that the girl was simply playing around and that Naruto was encouraging the play. "Oh, but what does the good nurse say?" Naruto questioned.

Akina blushed slightly at the smile that Naruto gave her before forcing herself to be serious again. "Lord Kazekage did say that Hisoka-chan was due to release the Bijuu chakra from her body. As long as there is a medic since her body still is very weak, I don't see the problem."

"Awesome! You can come."

"I don't think-"

"Please?"

The dark auburn-haired woman sighed slightly as she thought for a moment. "Very well. Only because I don't want Hisoka-chan to stay here in the hospital. Some of the nurses are talking and-"

"It's okay." Hisoka told the nurse. "Daddy says that life isn't a popularity contest but a lesson. You wanna know something, Akina-san?"

"What?"

Hisoka grinned brightly before answering, "I think so too."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, so now that Halloween's done working on chapters isn't going to be a source of "When can I do this?" which means more chapters can get kicked out. So read and review!<p> 


	31. Chapter 31

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! If anybody gets confused about something then go ahead and ask and I'll explain it the best I can. I have to work the whole weekend and won't be back until Monday so if anybody has any questions then you can probably expect an answer Monday afternoon. So here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Thirty One<p>

This was probably by far the strangest thing she had ever seen in her entire life. Akina shivered as she watched the small six-year-old laugh with excitement as the Bijuu playfully tapped the ground in front of her. "This is normal?" Akina asked softly.

"She's a pretty happy kid." Naruto replied as he watched Nibi pick Hisoka up with one of its tails and hold her upside down. "Okay, Hi-chan, start kicking out chakra."

Hisoka groaned softly as she stared at her father, giggling as Nibi pretended to drop her. "I don't wanna though!" Hisoka giggled. "We're playing."

"You can play when you're not supposed to be back at the hospital." Naruto told her. "Nibi, put her down please so she can kick out some chakra. Her body's still too young to be able to handle nine Bijuu chakras in one go."

Nibi growled softly as it set the girl down before nuzzling the girl's stomach. "My tummy doesn't hurt anymore." Hisoka told the Bijuu.

"Wow. That one's pretty." Kenji said in amazement. "Can I pet it?"

"Kenji!" Akina scolded.

Hisoka beamed as she looked at them before answering, "Ni-chan doesn't mind."

Kenji carefully went over to the Bijuu and reached out, nearly jumping when the cat demon pressed its nose against his hand. "I don't believe it." Akina said softly before she looked at Naruto. "What in the world is she?"

Naruto was silent as he watched his daughter and Kenji before answering, "She's my daughter. So you know, I'm about as weird."

"Clearly you didn't know my ex."

"You were married?"

Akina laughed softly as she watched the children before touching the stump of her arm. "He left us after the accident. I had been on duty when the Akatsuki attacked, stationed near the entrance when there was this explosion. When I woke up, I was in the hospital and down one limb. Not long after, I was down a husband." Akina suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm not complaining, mind you. The only good thing that came out of my marriage was Kenji and the good thing that came out of my accident was that Lord Kazekage let me keep my job as a medic."

"Wow. How in the world do you manage? I mean- Hisoka, don't make anything bigger than you!"

Hisoka laughed as she began spinning around, giggling as Yonbi and Shichibi began messing with her chakra creatures. "You mean what?" Akina pressed.

Naruto grinned slightly before answering, "I have no idea what in the hell I'm doing some days."

"Well, that's parenting. Kenji! I swear I'm going to ground your butt if I catch you trying to take off on a demon!"

Kenji grinned in response before carefully inspecting Rokubi. "How does he avoid getting dry?" Kenji questioned.

"Slime… I think. San-kun hates it here cause it's so dry."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

Akina brushed her hair from her eyes before saying softly, "When I think about demons, child friendly isn't exactly what comes to mind."

Naruto nodded slightly before answering, "Kyuubi wasn't exactly child friendly with me. I think they just love Hisoka without really knowing her."

"Are demons really capable of loving anybody?"

"_Keep this one. I like her."_ Kyuubi commented. _"She's already mother material and was ditched by that one mate of hers so you won't have to worry about any competition."_

_I'm not going to go after a mom that got ditched by her husband!_

"_For all you know, she could be eager to get the cobwebs-"_

_I am _so_ not hearing this!_ Naruto rubbed his head with his hands, stopping when he felt a pair of small hands pull on his jacket. "Are you okay, Daddy?" Hisoka asked worriedly.

Naruto forced a smile before answering, "I'm fine, honey. Are you ready to go back to town?"

Hisoka nodded slightly and smiled as he picked her up. "I feel a lot better now. I think they settled down." Hisoka reported.

"We'll have Hinata-chan check."

"M'kay."

There was just something about watching a father and daughter interact with each other. Akina smiled softly as she watched the two, feeling herself drawn to the blonde. "Are you okay, Mom? You look kinda weird." Kenji stated simply.

"I'm fine. Don't worry so much about me, kiddo, or you'll go gray long before your time."

"Like Hi-chan's?" Kenji teased.

"My hair's not turning gray! Only a little bit's turning white."

"Not helping your discussion, Hi-Hi." Naruto laughed.

Hisoka puffed her cheeks out and grinned slightly at them. "Silly girl." Akina laughed. "If you hold on, I'll teach you how to argue with guys and actually win."

Immediately the girl looked interested. If this was anything like what having two parents was like then it was something she liked. "Please no. She's already got some fairly strong female influences in her life." Naruto laughed.

"I'm going to want to check Hisoka over after that little rendezvous with the Bijuu just to make sure that nothing's been thrown out of whack."

"Sure." Naruto replied simply. "Hi-Hi, you listen to what Akina-san tells you to do. Got it?"

"I always do."

"She's actually pretty good considering the fact that her dad's a shinobi. I'm actually rather impressed how easy she's been. From what the other nurses say, she's a holy terror."

Naruto glanced at his daughter and saw that she wasn't even paying attention anymore. "Could you explain later? I mean, like after you get done checking my daughter over?" Naruto questioned.

For a moment Naruto thought that the woman looked slightly nervous. Then again, he couldn't really blame her seeing as he was fairly certain not many parents waited until later to find out why their kid was considered a holy terror. "Of course," she answered.

Naruto waited in the room with Hisoka, watching as Akina went over the girl's vitals. "How come you're so good when nurses tell you to do something?" Kenji questioned. "I don't even like getting checkups."

"It's always better not to make medics mad."

Naruto smiled faintly as he watched his daughter, taking mental notes about her behavior. He didn't think that she behaved even half as good for Sakura or Tsunade as she was for Akina. What in the world was so different about the woman? Deciding it was just something to ask later, Naruto followed Akina out of the room. "So why exactly is my daughter a holy terror?" Naruto questioned.

"Personally I don't believe it since she's nothing short of an angel to me but from what a few of the nurses say…" Akina fell silent not wanting to say.

"What?"

"They think there's something seriously wrong and I know the one medic she actually bit is convinced that your daughter's not human."

Naruto leaned against the wall, glancing back towards the room and seeing the two children playing some kind of game. "Does Gaara already know who it is?" Naruto questioned.

Akina shook her head slightly before replying, "I was going to make a report as soon as my shift ended. I'm scared for her, Naruto-san."

"_Mate material! Damn it, you idiot, can't you see this woman's perfect?"_ Kyuubi shouted.

_Can we think about something other than your libido?_ Naruto snapped back. "I'm not letting anybody hurt my daughter." Naruto told her. "I need to get her settled down for bed."

"Of course. Kenji, it's time to go home."

"Akina-san?"

"Yes?"

Naruto fidgeted slightly before asking, "If you're not doing anything Friday, would you like to go out to dinner? You know, for taking such excellent care of my daughter."

A blush formed on the woman's face as she nodded slightly, putting a hand on her son's back. "I'd love to." Akina replied. "Good night."

"Good night."

Naruto scratched the back of his head as he went into his daughter's room, seeing the interest in her eyes. She and Kenji had listened to their entire conversation and having somebody thinking she wasn't human was nothing new to her. "What did Akina-san have to say?" Hisoka questioned.

"That you're an angel to her and that you're a holy terror to everybody else." Naruto replied easily as he tossed the girl a pair of pajamas. "Wanna explain?"

Hisoka frowned slightly as she thought for a moment before answering, "I like her. She's really nice and I like how she makes me feel."

Kids were a good judge of character, containing a sixth sense that seemed to be lost as they grew older. To hear his daughter tell him that she liked somebody and that she liked how the person made her feel told him that Akina was indeed what he thought she was. "Oh yeah?" Naruto questioned. "So if I were to take her out to dinner, you wouldn't get mad?"

"No. I like her and Kenji. It'd be nice if we could see them a lot."

"You like her that much, huh?"

Hisoka nodded immediately before answering, "She looks at you like Sakura looks at Sai. I think she likes you."

Naruto kissed his daughter's forehead and smiled softly. "You're a funny kid." Naruto said softly. "Get ready for bed and I'll read you a story."

"Okay." Naruto watched as his daughter quickly went through her routines before nestling in bed. "Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

Gray eyes focused solely on him for a moment before she said, "I really wouldn't mind if Akina-san became my new momma."

"_Even the kit realizes it!"_ Kyuubi cheered.

_Will you stop already?_ Naruto demanded before sighing softly. "We'll see, honey. You can't make people feel certain ways."

"Why not?"

"That's just not how the heart works."

Hisoka was silent for a moment before she nodded slightly. "Do you love me?" Hisoka asked.

"You know I do. More than life itself."

"Even if I'm bad sometimes?"

"You're an Uzumaki. Causing hell's one thing we're good at. Your grandma used to cause hell and actually beat the snot outta people that made fun of her."

The girl smiled softly before snuggling against her father as he grabbed a book she had never seen before. "What's that one?" Hisoka questioned.

"This is something that Ero-sennin wrote long before he started writing those books that Kakashi reads." Naruto answered. "It's pretty good."

With a content sigh leaving her lips, Hisoka listened as Naruto began to read the book aloud to her knowing that this would quickly become one of her absolute favorite stories.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Personally I like the whole idea of Naruto reading Jiraiya's "Tale of a Gutsy Ninja" story to Hisoka and for Naruto to tell his daughter what he knows about his parents. While it doesn't make up for the lack of knowledge on Mishima's side of the family, it does help provide a sense of belonging. Okay, so I'm gonna run and we'll see you guys next week! Read and review!<p> 


	32. Chapter 32

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, everybody! Naruto will have a love interest (actually got a good laugh yesterday when I wrote the love interest meeting Sasuke for the first time) so I've already got the whole date written out as well as other things. So here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Thirty Two<p>

Sakura would have been lying if she had said that she wasn't nervous to be giving a report to the five Kages knowing full well that one of the five had seen everything she had done. No, she wasn't going to be reporting anything illegal. She was just going to report that she had done an examination and healed the worst of a child's wounds while surrounded by demons. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary there.

She knew that she had already given her report before and wondered why exactly they wanted to see her again. Was there something they thought was inaccurate? Did they think she had purposely withheld something important? No, anything she may have withheld was agreed was unimportant although she was fairly certain that Tsunade had been amused to find that the demons had chased away their captors.

"You called for me?" Sakura questioned with a small bow.

"Uzumaki Hisoka will be discharged from the hospital today, is that correct?" Lady Mizukage questioned.

"Yes, Lady Mizukage."

"Sakura, tell Naruto that we want to talk to Hisoka about what had happened." Tsunade said calmly.

Sakura nodded slightly in understanding before answering, "Yes, Lady Hokage. If I may, I'd like to suggest that nobody yells around Hisoka. From how often Naruto left last night, it's safe to assume that Hisoka-chan didn't have a good night last night."

Gaara resisted the urge to nod in agreement. Every time Naruto had been called to the hospital to tend to the suddenly hysterical child, Gaara found himself being brought along. He never thought that using one's fingers or hand to mimic the beats of a heart against a child's back or leg would calm a child down but this was an educational experience for him.

Now tonight he knew that the girl would be in his house and he deeply suspected that she would choose to snuggle against either him or Naruto if they slept in their respective rooms. What would he do if she woke during the night from a nightmare? Could he calm her down quickly enough that she didn't wake the entire household? "You appear to be nervous about something, Lord Kazekage." Tsunade commented.

"I was just remembering that Hisoka will be sleeping in my house since that's where Uzumaki Naruto and the others are currently staying." Gaara replied. "I find myself hoping she'll sleep the whole night through."

"Slip her some sake and she'll crash in about ten minutes," came Tsunade's reply.

Gaara fought back the look of shock that wanted to cross his features and from the look that had appeared on the blonde Hokage's face, she had actually slipped Hisoka some sake once or twice. "You've exposed Naruto's daughter to alcohol when she's not even ten yet?" Gaara questioned.

"If you look at her chronological age instead of physical and emotional, she's technically old enough." Tsunade smiled a bit. "But if you're going to be Mister Morals about it then give her warm milk and she'll crash in three minutes."

Warm milk, got it. "I still don't think it's a good idea to let her be around the Jinchuuriki if we know that they've transformed against their wills for her." Lord Raikage stated coolly.

"They both claimed that it was a mutual feeling between them and their Bijuu." Lord Tsuchikage reminded the younger man.

"Besides, would you honestly keep a child away from her father?" Tsunade questioned. "We all know that Naruto is the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki but he is also Hisoka's biological father."

"She's survived five years without him."

"Barely. Besides, you don't know what tricks Naruto's been teaching her like the shinobi of Konoha and myself do. If she wants her father badly enough, not even ANBU would be able to keep her away."

The Kages stopped when they heard a knock on the door and watched as Naruto entered the room with Hisoka holding onto his hand. "Behave." Naruto told his daughter. "I mean it."

Hisoka pouted slightly before bowing slightly to the Kages. "Hello, Hisoka-chan. How are you feeling today?" Lady Mizukage questioned.

"Very well, thank you. And yourself?" Hisoka questioned.

Seriously? This kid was really Naruto's kid? "Very well, thank you. It's nice to see that you're still so polite."

"Daddy says I can't show off the words I learned from Sai and Kiba. They're too colorful."

Of course, that explained so much. "We've received reports that you've shown off the extent of your abilities." Lord Raikage stated.

Hisoka hesitated a moment before answering, "Sasuke-teme and that older man were hurting the Bijuu. Besides, they just want to go home."

"They as in the Bijuu? They are monsters!"

"They're no different than people that are locked up!" Hisoka shouted. "They wanted to go home and the reason they were bad was because everybody was killing the people they wanted to protect them! Some of them were even mad at the people like me that wanted to use them to hurt everybody!"

"Hisoka." Tsunade said patiently, causing the girl to immediately fall silent. "Please calm yourself."

Hisoka puffed her cheeks out angrily before blowing as hard as she could. Nobody had ever seen Naruto do that so it was safe to assume it was a trait she had picked up from her mother. "We want to talk to you about what happened while you were in the Akatsuki's keep." Gaara told her. "Just tell them exactly what you've already told Lady Hokage and myself. Who did you see?"

The girl fidgeted and whined slightly as she twisted the hem of her shirt in her hands. "Suigetsu, Karin, Sasuke-teme," none of the Kages bothered to hide their amusement at the nickname, "Juugo, and Madara."

"Madara?" Tsunade questioned.

"Uh huh. The old Uchiha man. San-kun said that he could feel the bad eyes when the old Uchiha man came with the bomb girly-man." Hisoka replied. "All the Bijuu could sense the bad eyes but only San-kun really saw it."

"You're absolutely certain that the man's name is Madara?" Tsunade asked.

Hisoka nodded. "Even Kyuu-chan says that it was the old Uchiha bastard." Hisoka replied.

Naruto groaned as he listened to his daughter, wondering if he could really get after his daughter for telling the truth about the Uchiha clan being full of bastards. "Language, Hisoka. I know you don't care for the Uchiha clan but please refrain from everything you've learned from Kiba and Sai."

"Okay."

"Please tell us what happened."

Hisoka frowned slightly before answering, "I stopped eating cause I thought they were gonna put something in my food. If they tried to touch me, I shot the demon chakra at them. Then Sasuke decided to make his eyes go bad and I saw bad things in my head. Then I guess he started hitting me."

"You guess?"

"I don't really remember. I know my body hurt and I felt really bad like someone gave me snake poison. Orochimaru did that just to watch people hurt."

Lord Raikage cleared his throat before answering, "You shot demon chakra at them?"

Hisoka nodded with a bright smile on her face. "Go-chan didn't like Sasuke the most so if Sasuke went after me, I just used Go-chan's chakra and Sasuke started twitching like this."

She started twitching as if she had been electrocuted before grinning brightly. "You electrocuted him?" Tsunade questioned.

"He used Chidori on me. Everybody said it was almost poetic, whatever that means. I had to stay away for a little while or Sasuke would throw kunai at me. Ichi-kun didn't like that and said some bad words."

"Some?" Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"Okay, a lot of bad words." The girl immediately looked away from them, her eyes showing interest in something.

The Kages watched the girl for a moment before Lord Tsuchikage questioned, "Is something wrong?"

"Shichi-chan."

"What about the Shichibi?" Tsunade questioned.

A soft whine left the girl's lips before answering, "I don't know. Feels wrong."

"Wrong how?"

A look of discomfort showed on the child's face as she immediately grabbed the tuft of hair that she must have associated with the Shichibi. "I don't know! I can't explain it. It hurts."

Immediately Tsunade went over to the child and began trying to examine her only to have the child squirm away. "Hisoka, stop." Tsunade said.

"It hurts!"

Naruto felt Kyuubi's chakra trying to wrap around the child in a comforting manner, watching as the other Bijuu's chakra started trying to do the same. "Let's go check on Shichi-chan then." Naruto said as he picked his daughter up, grateful Tsunade was letting him step in. "You might not have gotten enough of his chakra."

Whines left the child's lips as the Kages followed the two, each of them impressed when Hisoka bit back the whines and buried her face in Naruto's jacket. "I can't believe we're going to see the Bijuu." Lord Raikage grumbled softly.

They immediately moved to a defensive position when Shichibi appeared and settled on the sand long enough for Naruto to release his daughter so she could run to the Bijuu. They stared in shock in amazement as the demon wrapped its legs around the child before flittering a small ways up and moving side to side. "What in the world?" Lady Mizukage asked softly.

"They like her."

Hisoka nuzzled her face against the insect demon before wrapping her legs around it. "It's okay. I'm here. It's okay." Hisoka murmured, her discomfort still evident.

Shichibi buzzed slightly, one of its legs stroking her back. "Shino just may appreciate that." Naruto commented as he leaned against a rock. "Freaking creepy."

"_One would think that you'd be used to creepy by now, kit."_ Kyuubi stated simply.

_Yeah, but getting hugs by bugs just isn't my idea of normal._

"_And having the King of the Bijuu is?"_

_Shut up._

Naruto didn't know exactly why the demon was anxious but he was impressed by how often the demon would just stop and hover so Hisoka could move to a more comfortable position. "This isn't natural." Lord Raikage said softly. "Demons aren't supposed to be affectionate. It must want to eat her."

They watched as Hisoka managed to brush her hands against the demon's head, clearly not afraid of falling. She made no signs of distress as the demon's tail wrapped around her waist before its arms released her. "No, I think it wants to make sure she's okay." Tsunade said, her voice containing wonder.

Never before had she ever thought that a demon could show any signs of being civil to anybody and from the amount of affection that was being displayed from the demon, it was nothing short of remarkable to the blonde Hokage. "Hisoka, can you and the Shichibi come down here for a moment?" Tsunade asked.

"What are you planning, Lady Hokage?" Gaara asked.

"I'm going to see something."

They watched as Shichibi flew down, not wanting to relinquish Hisoka for even a moment. "Something wrong?" Hisoka asked, her eyes showing concern.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I didn't get enough of Shichi-chan's chakra." Hisoka responded simply. "It hurt but it doesn't hurt so much now."

Tsunade looked at the demon for a moment before slowly reaching towards it, ignoring the gasps for her to stop. Shichibi moved its head slightly at the first contact before relaxing slightly, ever cautious of the woman's touch. "Amazing." Tsunade murmured.

"See? They're not bad." Hisoka said proudly. "At least, not if I tell them they can't hurt people but Daddy was the one that told them they can't hurt people."

The Kages looked at Naruto, watching as a sheepish look crossed his face. "I figured they'd listen since I'm her dad and everything." Naruto said with an embarrassed look.

Hisoka giggled as Shichibi began playfully moving her side to side before holding her close again. It fluttered around and began playing with the girl, clearly pleased by the squeals of excitement that would leave the child's lips. "You're not the least bit worried, are you?" Gaara questioned lightly as he looked at Naruto.

"Not really. Hi-chan, come on!" Naruto called.

Laughter left the girl's lips as Shichibi dove, allowing the girl to drag her toes across the sand before shooting up into the air again. "That was fun!" Hisoka cheered when she was safety tucked back into her father's arms.

"Seemed like it. Now that you know there's nothing wrong with Shichibi, should we go back to the village?"

Hisoka nodded slightly and waved to the demon as it flew off to wherever it had been hiding before. Offering a small grin, the girl looked at them. "Can they go home yet?" Hisoka questioned. "Please?"

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I can actually see the Bijuu acting all goofy when it comes to somebody they actually like so I don't think it's that much of a stretch. Um, stay tuned for the next chapter when we discover who will be asked embarrassing questions and the beginning of Naruto's date begins. Until then, read and review!<p> 


	33. Chapter 33

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I got a kick out of Reishin Amara's review and fully plan on writing a crack fic about that (thanks again for the permission) so that'll be interesting to see. Yes, I know it's Saturday and that I didn't update yesterday (actually realized three seconds ago that today's Saturday so ya'll know how out of it I've been) so here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Thirty Three<p>

This wasn't the first time he had taken a girl out to dinner but this was the first time he had ever taken a girl from another village out to dinner in her own village. He was grateful that Gaara had taken the time to tell him about some of the restaurants they could go to. When he and Hinata dated, he didn't think he had ever gotten as much support from anybody as he did threats from Neji.

Naruto fidgeted slightly as he looked at himself in the mirror, seeing that his daughter was looking at Jiraiya's book. "Grandpa named you after the main character, right?" Hisoka questioned.

"I guess."

"How come Grandpa and Grandma died?"

The blonde glanced back and saw the look in her eyes. "Well, Grandma Kushina died when Kyuubi got taken away from her and Grandpa Minato died putting Kyuubi in me." Naruto answered.

"How come Grandpa put Kyuubi in you? Why not put Kyuubi back in Grandma?"

"_I'm going to love hearing how you're going to explain that one." _Kyuubi laughed.

"I have no idea. Come on, I need to finish getting ready."

Hisoka jumped down and followed her father out of the room, giggling as she bounced off the walls. "Did Granny Tsunade know Grandma and Grandpa?" Hisoka questioned.

"Pretty sure she did."

"Did Auntie Tsume?"

"Pretty sure all the grownups knew Grandma and Grandpa. How many of them liked Grandma, I don't know."

A giggle left Hisoka's lips as she grabbed her father's hand, pressing her head against his forearm. "I love you, Daddy." Hisoka said with a grin.

Naruto smiled as he picked her up before playfully dropping her onto Sai's lap. "Special delivery." Naruto grinned.

Sai raised an eyebrow before allowing the squirming girl to roll off his lap and onto the floor. He really didn't understand why Naruto would play roughly with the girl or even why people got pulled into whatever game. "You look nice, Dickless. Hoping to have some kind of relation tonight after your date?"

"It's not a date, you pervert, and I can't believe you just asked that in front of my daughter? No, wait a minute. Okay, yeah, I can believe you just asked that in front of my daughter." Naruto gave his daughter a serious look. "You're not allowed to date until you're as old as Granny Tsunade."

Hisoka gave him a blank stare before grinning. "You're silly! Boys are gross!" Hisoka told him.

Thank gods she didn't find guys interesting but he just needed to wait until she actually began noticing boys. Now he hoped that his daughter would always consider boys to be gross and became a lesbian. "Awesome. Just keep that attitude until you're Granny Tsunade's age." Naruto answered as he pulled on his shoes. "I should be back maybe somewhere around eleven if we decide to go for a walk."

"Just remember to use protection."

"We're not going to do anything!"

Sai smiled as he answered, "You did something with Mishima-san and now the product of your relations is sitting on the floor watching you."

Naruto bit back a comment not wanting to encourage the pale man. "How Sakura deals with your crap is beyond me." Naruto told him. "You don't talk about stuff like that in front of a kid!"

Hisoka made a face trying to understand what was so terrible about what they were talking about. "Have fun, Daddy!" Hisoka said cheerfully.

"Good night, love. Be a good girl for everyone, okay? No sneaking out tonight."

"I won't."

"Good girl. I'll check on you before I go to bed."

"M'kay."

Waiting until her father had left, Hisoka scrambled out of the room determined to find the one person she was fairly certain would tell her everything without getting embarrassed. If she happened to be right then he'd be in his room playing with a new puppet.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Ah, son of a bitch!"

Kankuro hissed in pain as he stuck his bleeding finger in his mouth, tasting the coppery liquid on his tongue. He was just grateful it wasn't any of his poisonous weapons that had yet to be put into the puppet or else he'd be in a world of trouble. "Kankuro?" A soft voice questioned.

The brunette turned around and saw the little girl standing in his doorway, a look of curiosity showing on her face. "Come on in, Hisoka. Just don't touch anything." Kankuro told her. "I don't think I can tell you right away what's been put in poison or not."

Hisoka went into the room and watched as he worked on the puppet, her eyes showing anxiety over the various puppet parts. "What're you doing?" Hisoka questioned as she held her hands behind her back.

"Fixing up Karasu." Kankuro replied. "What's going on in your head?"

"I gotta question."

"I'm glad you're trusting me to answer your question but I'm kind of busy."

Hisoka frowned slightly as she sat on Kankuro's bed before answering, "Sai asked Daddy if he and Akina-san were going to have relations. What did he mean?"

Kankuro stopped and looked at the girl in disbelief. "Do you even realize what you're asking me to explain to you?" Kankuro questioned.

"I just wanna know!"

It really should fall on a parent to explain sex to a kid but he had a feeling that a safe answer would be good. "Um, did Naruto call Sai anything?" Kankuro questioned carefully.

"A pervert and then Sai said that I'm the product of whatever Daddy and Momma did."

Okay, so his head wasn't immediately going into the gutter without a reason. "Right. Well, when two people generally care for each other then they have a special hug they do." Kankuro answered. "It's a very beautiful kind of hug that only grownups should do."

"Why?"

"Because if the mommy and daddy aren't careful how they hug then they get a baby."

His response was met with a blank stare before Hisoka said slowly, "So Sai thought that Daddy and Akina-san were going to hug and then they'd have a baby?"

"Sure."

Hisoka wrinkled her nose slightly before answering, "Does Daddy know?"

If he didn't know how in the hell he managed to help create a child, Kankuro was going to sit the blonde down and go into graphic detail. "He'd better seeing as he has you." Kankuro answered. "So you don't freak out there's different types of hugging like the kinds that parents give their kids, hugs that mommies and daddies give each other to make a baby, and hugs that grownups give each other just for fun."

The girl frowned slightly and for a moment Kankuro could almost see the wheels turning in her head. "Kankuro… what's it called what Orochimaru did to me?" Hisoka questioned. "I never asked no one so I don't know."

Was there really anything Orochimaru _didn't_ do to this kid? "Well, I don't know. You wanna tell me and I can tell you maybe?" Kankuro questioned.

"It always hurt and he'd look happy when I screamed. Sometimes if I was bad, he'd put something in my butt and it'd always hurt."

Was there really no innocence left in this girl? He could tell when she was pretending to be innocent just to soothe those around her but now he wondered if she didn't understand the basic concept of sex. "Ah, well, that's something that Orochimaru's burning in the deepest part of hell for." Kankuro told her. "When something like that is done with someone that loves you and that you love, it doesn't hurt."

"But stuff isn't supposed to go in a person's butt!"

Kankuro rubbed his forehead before answering, "How about we talk about this when you're a little older? All I'm gonna say about what that snake-teme did is that no one will ever do that to you against your will ever again."

"Promise?"

"You've got Suna and Konoha willing to protect you as well as nine demons. I think you're as protected as you're gonna get."

Hisoka nodded slightly, appearing to take comfort from Kankuro's words. "Can I watch you make puppets?" Hisoka questioned.

"Sure. Okay, you sit right here and hand me the tools that I need."

"Yay!"

Grateful that the awkward questions were done, Kankuro returned to the puppet with Hisoka happily handing him tools and asking him questions.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto felt his mouth suddenly dry as he stared at Akina, his eyes holding disbelief. This couldn't possibly be the same medic from earlier. This woman wore a deep green dress that showed her pale skin and her auburn hair fell in curls over her shoulders. "A-Akina-san?" Naruto questioned in disbelief.

Akina laughed and asked, "How many one-armed kunoichi do you know?"

Naruto struggled to keep his eyes at an appropriate level. "This one's at least attempting to keep his eyes where they belong." A young man commented.

Who was this kid? Naruto stared at him for a moment before Akina smiled pleasantly. "This is my neighbor's son." Akina explained.

The young man nodded slightly before watching as Kenji came running into the room and jumped at Naruto. "Hi, Naruto-san!" Kenji said happily.

"Hey, kiddo. What's up?"

"Not much. You're gonna have my mom back before morning, right?"

"Sure."

Apparently pleased by his response, Kenji released the blonde in favor of hugging his mother tightly. "Have fun, Mom." Kenji told his mother.

"Thanks, little man. I'll see you when I get home."

"Okay! Bye!"

Laughing softly, Akina smiled as she looked at Naruto before leaving the house with him following. "You look beautiful." Naruto told her.

"Thank you. You look handsome yourself."

Knowing that he was now grinning like an idiot, Naruto walked with the woman to their destination wondering if this indeed was a date. Deciding that it didn't really matter either way, Naruto settled into the conversation the woman was trying to start and within minutes had her laughing.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Now next week we'll be seeing the full extent of Naruto's date with Akina and may even learn some things about this potential love interest. I actually watched the whole Kankuro explaining sex thing in my head and couldn't help but grin at the "special hugs" thing. Hey, we can't have that loveable puppet master around and not poke at him a couple times. So anyway, I hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving and I'll see you next week! Until then, read and review!<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! It was really hard to keep resisting picking on Kankuro so last chapter at least fixed that little urge. Now presenting the long awaited chapter... NARUTO'S DATE! Yeah, it's Friday and I'm hyper (found my beloved green eyeliner hehe) so here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue!

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><p>Chapter Thirty Four<p>

Naruto laughed as he and Akina danced to some music, his eyes dancing with excitement as he stared into her excited green eyes. How long had it been since they both had been able to actually laugh like this and be themselves? The duties of parenting meant nothing at this moment and it was nothing short of a relief to them both. "That was fun." Akina laughed as she flopped down into her chair with the grace only a kunoichi could possess.

The blonde laughed and nodded in agreement before taking a drink of his water. "I take it you don't go out often." Naruto laughed.

"Not with a kid. Of course I'm fairly certain you do the same."

"That's really not a problem. My friends like to take her for a couple hours every other day anyway."

Akina nodded in understanding before answering, "When Kenji's father and I were together, he'd always be going out getting drunk when he wasn't on a mission so when I lost my arm, it wasn't a surprise when he left."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"It's fine. I mean, didn't you have the same situation with her mother?"

Naruto fidgeted slightly before answering, "Mishima used a time travel jutsu and decided to mess with stuff. We slept together for about a week before we parted ways. If I had more time, I would have dated her better."

"So you're not the 'wham bam thank you, ma'am' type. That's a dying breed." There was entertainment in Akina's eyes as she looked at him. "I hear the most women love it when a guy treats them like a princess.

"That's what I hear." Naruto laughed.

Akina smiled as she took a sip of her sake before answering, "Kenji's father thought I was gonna jump into bed with him on our first date just because my family was full of wandering shinobi. By the time we finally did, he'd already fucked about an eighth of the female populace here and wherever he was sent for missions."

"And you married him?"

"I got knocked up and my parents were real sticklers about being pregnant and unmarried."

Naruto nodded slightly, not really getting why people always thought that a couple expecting a baby needed to be married. "You seem to be doing an excellent job of raising Kenji by yourself." Naruto commented.

"Much to my parents' ire. They were beyond pissed when I became a kunoichi for Suna and disowned us when I agreed to let Kenji become a shinobi."

Naruto listened as the woman vented, clearly upset over how her son was being treated. "So Kenji never really knew his grandparents?" Naruto questioned.

"Not really. They thought he was condemned from being conceived out of wedlock."

It bothered Naruto that people could honestly treat a child so cruelly for the actions of their parents or a given situation. "I really don't get people like that. I mean, why in the hell would anybody judge before they understand another person's situation?" Naruto demanded.

Akina smiled faintly before answering, "It's human nature. Piss poor way of making themselves feel better."

Naruto shook his head slightly. "Sasuke used to be one hell of a popular guy but he let revenge get to his head and completely warp him. Now he'll be lucky if nobody kills his ass when or if he ever goes back to Konoha."

"Do you think he'd be spared?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. The bastards on the council like him even if he did kill Danzou. He'll get off with a slap on the wrist and my daughter will be terrified to even step foot out of the apartment."

"Then send her here while the thing with Sasuke gets figured out. You know Lord Kazekage won't complain."

"I'm more afraid of the ANBU here deciding to declare mutiny."

Akina laughed softly before answering, "Somehow I could see Konoha's ANBU doing the same. I suppose she doesn't have very many ANBU babysitters."

"Not many."

Naruto felt his heart begin to race as Akina moved closer. "You know, we're both available and have a kid each. Maybe we could get to know each other better." Akina suggested softly.

"_Oh hell yes! Agree to it! Just say yes!"_ Naruto could almost feel Kyuubi jumping around in his cage from the excitement.

"Like how?" Naruto asked with a purely clueless look on his face.

It was adorable how oblivious he was to some things. "There's a festival coming up and I was thinking perhaps that we could all go. Your friends are welcome to join us." Akina said smoothly. "Then if you'd like, you and Hisoka can stay the night at my place."

"_Please tell me you at least caught that one!"_ Kyuubi shouted, clearly pleased at the idea.

_Yeah, I caught it but she's been drinking._ Naruto thought as he watched the woman brush her hair from her shoulders, his eyes immediately settling on her smooth throat.

"_And so have you before you flipped over to water. Drunken passion."_

_No!_

Kyuubi smashed his head against the bars in frustration. How come he got stuck with a guy that didn't give a rat's ass regarding if he taught his kid something illegal but didn't want to get laid with a woman that was working on getting drunk? If it were possible, he'd beat the gentlemen part of the blonde out of him and call it good. He needed to get his idiot host laid seeing as the last time he had gotten a good fuck was with that redheaded Kazekage months ago!

Okay, he knew Naruto's personality. Hisoka had already approved of Akina but it was going to be a touchy subject if the two adults actually getting together. He'd need to handle this carefully if he expected his blonde idiot of a host to get his cake and eat it too. "I think it'd be fun." Naruto answered. "Do you… Do you want to go for a walk?"

"I'd love to."

Their fingers entwined as they walked through the silent streets, relishing in the other's company. Naruto knew they had just met a short time ago but he liked how comfortable he was around the woman. From how easily she took comfort in his presence, it was safe to say she liked it too. Before either one of them even realized it, they had found their way to a training area. "Hey, Naruto?" Akina questioned.

"Hmm?"

"Wanna spar?"

With a bright grin, Naruto nodded in agreement. "Hell yeah," he responded.

Laughing, the two began exchanging blows that bordered between playful and serious knowing that only in the life of a shinobi would this count as a decent date.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Poor Kyuu-chan not getting any just yet. I promise he won't give in without a fight but I think he may have to keep the comments back for when Hisoka's around. As funny as it'd be to watch someone else fidget due to another uncomfortable question, we'll give them a little break. Anyway, I hope you guys liked Naruto's date. Read and review!<p> 


	35. Chapter 35

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I figured I couldn't let a date between shinobi end without at least one sparring match although I'm wondering now if Akina wasn't trying to get Naruto to agree for a quick romp in the sack (or romp in the sand anyway) so I'm glad that was liked. I actually got a full-blown flame which made me start laughing cause I was told to *checks flame* "Go to hell please" after the person clearly voiced their dislike over the bit of yaoi. Anyway, I'll continue on afterwards with my view of flamers after this chapter's done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p>Chapter Thirty Five<p>

Coffee.

The first intelligent thing Temari could think of when she woke up the next morning was the need for caffeine and that she should really get started on making breakfast. As she drew closer to the kitchen, the smell of food cooking reached her senses. "What the hell?" Temari's eyes widened when she saw the six year old standing on a chair in front of the stove. "Hisoka?"

The girl jumped slightly before grinning brightly at Temari, a smudge of pancake batter across one cheek. "Surprise!" Hisoka giggled.

"Get away from there. What're you thinking?" Temari demanded as she picked the girl up and set her down away from the stove. "You're six! You don't use the stove without an adult around!"

"But everyone's still sleeping!" Hisoka protested.

"I'm not now so no using the stove."

Hisoka stared a moment before asking, "Am I in trouble?"

Temari sighed softly as she looked at the girl before responding, "No, honey. You just can't use the stove without a grownup around."

"Why? Sometimes I use the stove at home when Daddy's still sleeping and I can cook food you can actually eat."

Since she lived with Naruto it wasn't much of a surprise to the blonde-haired woman. "Okay, since we're not at your house you can't use a stove without a grownup. Now let's get this done so we can wake all those other lazybones up." Temari sighed.

Hisoka watched as Temari finished up breakfast, squirming when the woman used a rag to wipe the pancake batter from her face. Suddenly there was a flash and Temari grabbed a knife, prepared to throw it. "Haha, my sister just had a mommy moment." Kankuro laughed, ducking when Temari threw the knife.

"Asshole!" Temari screamed at him.

Laughter left Kankuro's lips as he ran with his sister chasing after him, both followed by a now excited six year old. "What's going on?" Sakura questioned, grabbing the back of Hisoka's shirt and pulling her back.

"Temari and I are playing tag with Kankuro!" Hisoka said with a laugh. "He took a picture and Temari threw a knife and screamed a bad word so now we're playing tag with him!"

Sakura sighed as she released the girl knowing full well that there wasn't a point in trying to shield the girl from everything. "Son of a fuck!" Kankuro shouted from one of the rooms when Temari finally caught him.

Three. Two. One. "Sakura!" Hisoka ran and crashed into the pinkette. "Temari's hitting Kankuro!"

"Siblings do that to each other." Sakura sighed. "Come on, honey, let's see if there's juice."

"Juice! Juice! Juice!" Hisoka chanted happily as she held onto Sakura's hand, skipping the entire way to the kitchen. "Kankuro's gonna be okay, right? Temari's not gonna kill him?"

"Nah. Brothers and sisters fight a lot but I don't think those two will kill each other."

Fifteen minutes later, everybody but Naruto had gathered in the kitchen talking while Hisoka happily kicked her feet while drinking her juice. "Weird kid. Doesn't that taste nasty to you?" Kankuro asked warily.

"Why?"

"It's blueberry pomegranate."

"It's good." Hisoka responded before taking another drink. "I like it."

Gaara smiled faintly as he looked at his goddaughter, seeing that she seemed to be in a pleasant mood today. "Naruto isn't up yet?" Gaara asked patiently.

The girl shook her head rapidly, giggling when her hair hit her face. "Even Kyuu-chan's sleeping and he's usually up when I wake up," she reported.

If any of them had the suspicion regarding a possible reason why Naruto was tired still, none of them dared voice it in front of the child. "Well, I'm sure Dickless will tell us when he wakes up." Sai answered with a look that told them what he was thinking happened the night before.

Sakura sighed softly, thankful that the little girl had moments of pure obliviousness like her father. She didn't think she'd be able to handle life with the child as well if she constantly acted like her mother. "He went out with that Akina woman, right?" Kankuro questioned.

"Uh huh. I like her." Hisoka said proudly. "Why?"

Kankuro shook his head a little before answering, "Sometimes when I go out to have some grownup juice, I see her and she doesn't handle her grownup juice very well."

"So she's lightweight?"

The group stared in disbelief at Hisoka, wondering for a moment where she had learned something like that. "Hisoka, do we want to know where you picked that term up?" Sakura asked warily.

"Granny Tsunade. She called me that once when she let me have a taste of that really gross grownup juice to make me fall asleep before Daddy could take me home and she kept calling those yucky people."

Ah, that explained everything although Sakura had to applaud Kankuro for coming up with the term 'grownup juice' within a few seconds. "So what's she like when she doesn't handle her drinks?" Sakura asked, deciding to turn the discussion back to Akina.

Kankuro grinned a little before answering, "Loads of fun. I'd be surprised if Naruto managed to-"

"If I managed what?" A familiar voice questioned groggily.

"Daddy!"

Gaara raised an eyebrow at how quickly his goddaughter flew into the blonde's arms, nearly sending him back into the living room. "Hey, Hi-Hi. Not so loud, okay?" Naruto asked with a groan.

Hisoka's face suddenly turned into a look of concern, her eyes large as she grabbed her empty chair and dragged it over to the blonde. "Say 'ah,'" she said with a serious expression.

"Akina-san and I just had a little too much to drink last night, honey." Naruto gave her a gentle smile. "Give me a couple hours and I'll feel better."

"Why didn't Kyuu-chan take care of the grownup juice?" Hisoka questioned.

"Because fox demons like to cause hell about as much as our family." Naruto told her. "Now get back to the table and finish eating."

"M'kay."

Gaara stared at the blonde for a moment before answering, "You forgot that we need to speak with you and Killer Bee this morning."

"Yeah, and in all fairness I didn't think we'd be staying out until three."

"Four." Hisoka reported. "Kyuu-chan wanted to talk to me when you got home."

"About?"

"Just that he wants me to be a big girl if you decide to pick up the pace a little and that I shouldn't be worried that you don't love me no more."

Okay, they were all missing something and from how the girl started humming while playing with her food, she wasn't about to tell them. "What exactly did you two do last night, Dickless?" Sai questioned.

"Went out, danced, had a few drinks, went for a walk, then sparred. Then we drank some more at her place." Naruto rubbed his head. "So how come Bee and I need to get talked to again? We already said everything was agreed on."

Gaara calmly looked at the blonde before answering, "It's just to see if either of you are feeling any different. All the ANBU that the other Kages brought have been reporting the Bijuu have been acting strangely."

"It's cause they know they'll get to go home." Hisoka told the redhead. "They said they'd go nicely if everyone agrees to a couple of things."

"Like what?"

Hisoka shrugged slightly. "They wouldn't tell me. They just said to ask if all the Kages can come see them and they'll say what'll make them go nicely. They also said to say that if they got sealed up before they could say what they wanted, they're gonna be meaner than when they thought I wasn't here."

"_I'd agree with that."_ Kyuubi commented. _"Ichibi's already insane so that's not much of a threat but think of how much hell the _sane_ ones can raise."_

_Do I really want to know?_ Naruto questioned patiently before looking at his daughter. "You'll probably need to stay here and we'll grab you if the Kages decide to go see the Bijuu." Naruto told her. "Why don't you practice your defenses with Sai?"

Sai smiled faintly knowing full well that Naruto just wanted them all to see what Hisoka was capable of doing on a mere whim. "Sounds like fun. Is there a limit to the number of tails she's allowed to make appear on her creatures?" Sai questioned.

"Umm… let's say no more than six."

Moving slightly so she was sitting on her father's lap, Hisoka nestled against him clearly content with the lot given to her. As she looked around at the group she had grown to know and love, she knew that things were okay. The Bijuu could go home and soon she'd be able to go home with her father. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Naruto told her as he got his shoes on half an hour later.

"Okay."

Hisoka grinned slightly as Naruto kissed her forehead before looking surprised when Gaara hugged her softly. "Have a good day." Gaara told her. "We'll be sure to stop by and pick you up so you can hear what's been decided."

"Okay!"

Making sure that everybody attending had everything they would need, the group left. Sai looked down at Hisoka, seeing that she wanted desperately to go as well. "Hey, Hisoka-chan." Sai said calmly.

"Hmm?"

"Should we practice elemental defenses?"

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><p>lostmoonchild: Oh Goddess, Sai helping train a little kid. Somebody get ready to supervise! Okay, so back to my little rantmessage for flamers: This is a work of fiction! I find it funny when people tell me to go to hell. Now, I don't mind flames cause even flames can be useful but I do mind when I'm being attacked for something I wrote for fun. I don't exist to please everybody on the planet. I write what I feel like writing when I feel like it and I'm usually open to suggestions. So if somebody's going to flame my story, flame the story and don't attack me just because of one little scene. I'm not interested in playing war of the words so name calling and all that pointless crap is just a waste of time.

For everybody else: Thanks for the great reviews! I really enjoy seeing what scenes you guys liked and I hope you guys will let me know what you'd like to see in the story. If it won't fit anywhere in this story (prepare for a surprise) there's gonna be another one dealing with a teenage Hisoka. So read and review!


	36. Chapter 36

lostmoonchild: Konbanwa! Thanks for the reviews, minna-san! Yes, Sai teaching is a scary thought but thankfully there will be somebody to watch and make sure that things don't get out of control. I'm on a happy high right now cause my brother's home for Christmas (YAY!) and I got to hang out with him for a few hours so that made me happy. Now if these damn plot bunnies would stop reproducing! Anyway, so let's get the party started!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue!

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><p>Chapter Thirty Six<p>

Having been raised in Root taught Sai many things and because of his upbringing, he had a general idea of the abilities of many of its members. As he drew creatures for Hisoka to destroy with her chakra creatures, he simply felt that this was nothing more than preparing her for what may come. He already knew she was growing more adept at using a sword and was thinking of getting her one for her next birthday but for now he'd focus on the task at hand.

Dark eyes watched as another one of his ink creatures came to life, charging at the little girl. It was almost amusing how quickly she had taken to riding some of her creatures while defending herself with its tails. What wasn't amusing was the group of ANBU that had decided to watch, their bodies all showing caution while the child's excited squeals filled the air. "And Naruto actually approves of this?" Kankuro asked with a small frown as he watched.

"It forces her to practice her control and wears her down for a nap." Sai responded before creating a creature that spat fire.

Hisoka's eyes widened slightly when she saw the fire creature, her mind immediately racing. The chakra creature's violet color changed to clear blue before water sprayed from the creature's mouth, destroying Sai's ink creature. "Ha! Something challenging, Sai!" Hisoka cheered as the chakra creature beneath her spun around.

Sai's eyes suddenly narrowed slightly as he threw a kunai, watching as it deflected an incoming kunai. A startled cry left Hisoka's lips as she stared at the wall of sand that suddenly appeared before her, catching a couple extra kunai. "What the hell?" Kankuro shouted as he ran over to the girl and picked her up, shielding her with his body. "She's just practicing!"

A small moan left Hisoka's lips as she buried her face in Kankuro's neck, feeling the chakra creature vanish. "This is nothing more than preparation for if our Kages decide later on to have her killed." An ANBU member from Water Country stated. "I think they'd be interested in knowing-"

"She's training to be a kunoichi. I think she'll have some defense simply through the training she's been receiving." Kankuro snapped. "Are you okay?"

Hisoka nodded slightly, her eyes focusing on the swirling sand. "Ichi-kun isn't happy. I don't like what he wants to do." Hisoka moaned softly as she pressed her face deeper in Kankuro's neck. "Kankuro, make Ichi-kun be quiet. I don't like what he's saying."

The brunette sighed softly as he comforted the girl, watching as Sai subtly threatened any ANBU members that would dare make another attack. "Is there a problem here?" A female voice questioned.

"Just a little disagreement." Kankuro answered as he handed Hisoka over to Sai.

"Little disagreement." Hisoka agreed softly as she wrapped her legs around Sai's waist and smiled brightly. "Daddy, I can keep riding one for half an hour! Even the ANBU people were helping!"

Naruto eyed the kunai that moved around in the sand with a skeptical eye before sighing. His friends were never going to let him hear the end of this if his daughter was as oblivious as he was. "Uh huh. Ready to go see the Bijuu?" Naruto questioned.

"Yeah! I think I better walk though. I think my legs fell asleep cause I was practicing mixing chakras and then I used Ichi-kun's chakra by itself to catch the kunai."

Naruto smiled wearily before answering, "You're an exhausting kid. Better thank everyone that helped you."

"Arigato!"

What in the world was this kid? She had been scared only moments before but now she was acting as if they had merely been helping her train? The ANBU stared at the girl as she pried herself from Sai and immediately grabbed Lady Mizukage's hand. "Let's go! You'll like them, Lady Mizukage! They all wanna go home so they're not gonna do anything. Roku-chan said something about being in a Jinchuuriki-"

"Breathe and settle down." Tsunade told the girl. "Why haven't they told you what they want?"

Hisoka stopped a moment before answering, "They said cause it's only my job to protect them."

"Wouldn't this count as protecting them?"

"Yes, but they want to protect me too."

They stared at the girl for a moment, watching as she suddenly released Lady Mizukage's hand in favor of spinning around while walking. "No wonder she crashes so easily." Kankuro muttered.

"Hisoka." Gaara said calmly.

The girl immediately stopped and swayed slightly as she grabbed Gaara's hand. "Dizzy." Hisoka said with a grin.

"Settle down please."

It was common knowledge that those with large chakra reserves tended to be hyper and that they often required more patience. Add in the Bijuu's chakra and the only people that would stand a snowball's chance were the Jinchuuriki. "_They did come." _Gobi commented with a small grin.

Sakura felt the chill go down her spine as she stared at the seven Bijuu, watching their tails all swish in excitement. "It talked." Lord Raikage said with a surprised look.

Hisoka gave the man a look that plainly asked, "What else did you expect?" before smiling brightly as Nibi wrapped one of its tails around Hisoka's waist and placed her on its head. "We heard you wanted to discuss with us what your conditions are for coming peacefully." Lord Tsuchikage said calmly.

"_You've heard right, old man."_ Nibi replied patiently. _"None of us want our beautiful protector harmed so we're all making the effort to be extra civilized."_

They watched as Hisoka made a face that plainly said she didn't like being considered beautiful. _"We're willing to go peacefully but only under a few conditions." _Shichibi said as it flew up and grabbed Hisoka, cradling her against its body.

"And one of them has to do with Hisoka?" Tsunade questioned.

"_Only that when we leave, our beautiful protector is allowed to come with us to approve of our new hosts."_ Gobi answered as it took the child and nuzzled her belly causing Hisoka to squeal with laughter. _"We don't want somebody that will hate the child whereas we adore her."_

It was still unnerving how gentle they were when it came to the child, each one possessing gentleness that none of the Jinchuuriki before could have ever attributed to the demons. Gaara didn't even remember seeing such tenderness when he had Ichibi in him but when the one-tailed demon took Hisoka, it was clear that the insane demon was capable of being gentle. "You want to be inside a human?" Tsunade asked in disbelief.

"_Only if we get to pick. You humans have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to, in lack of better terms, synchronize with a human."_ Yonbi stated with a look of displeasure on his face. _"Honestly, did any of you think it was a coincidence that some Jinchuuriki failed where others succeeded?"_

"_Thank you, Yonbi!"_ Kyuubi cheered. _"Although I think you may have just opened a door for justifying Jinchuuriki testing."_

Hisoka's eyes showed sudden interest before giggling as Yonbi held her upside-down by her ankle. "Jinchuuriki testing?" Hisoka questioned. "Is it when I think it is?"

"_Certain people have a specific chakra system that, while it appears normal on the surface, is actually quite different. Introduce our chakra to it and there will be one of two reactions."_ Nibi explained. _"The Jinchuuriki are all prime examples of that specific chakra system."_

"Oh… So what's mine?"

"_Yours is simply what happens when a human foolishly gets mixed up in a fight between demons. That's how the Kairi family began."_

Okay, so it was a bit cool how the demons knew how her family began. Hisoka twisted so she was able to climb on Sanbi's head, peering down into its eye. "No eating people. Fish are okay, but not people." Hisoka stated calmly.

A sound left Sanbi's mouth that sounded suspiciously like laughter. "So anyway. All any of you want is to be able to pick your host and that Hisoka goes along to approve." Lord Raikage questioned stiffly. "Why should we agree?"

"_Because we won't tolerate being sealed up inside inanimate objects again."_

Naruto watched his daughter's expression and saw that she didn't want any of them to be sealed up. "Hi-Hi, what do you think?" Naruto questioned.

"I don't want any of them to be sealed up in people." Hisoka reported. "But no one's ready to let them run around unsupervised."

Nibi took the child and lay down with the girl comfortably nestled against it. The cat demon purred softly as it gently licked the child's face, trying to offer some comfort. _"Remember what we said about being better protected against those like the Uchiha bastards?"_ Nibi asked soothingly. _"You'll still be able to find us and if the humans don't know which of their peers is our host then those that wish to bring harm won't find us so easily."_

"But I don't like it. The old man-"

"_I don't know what memories your mother had of the world before she set everything the way she knew was to be but you are nowhere near like those that have walked before you. Where they sought to use our power to cause harm, you wish to only protect. You are much purer than those that have walked this path before you."_

Hisoka nodded slightly, still clearly upset over what was happening. "Okay." Hisoka murmured.

As a father it was heart wrenching to watch his daughter be faced with a choice that he was fairly certain an adult would have trouble accepting. "Very well." Gaara said with a small nod. "I think, however, it would be possible to check in surrounding villages before searching our own. Secrecy would be the best option for their protection."

Happiness lit the girl's face, clearly understanding that they were all trying to come to a safe conclusion. "Really?" Hisoka asked excitedly.

Gaara nodded and smiled faintly as they watched the child suddenly jump up and begin spinning happily, laughter leaving her lips as the Bijuu began copying her. "If it weren't for the fact she's already hyper, I'd suggest that maybe she takes one of them." Naruto heard Kakashi chuckle.

"Not funny! Before they start getting sealed up in people, though, I want to seal bits of their chakra up for her. There's no way in hell she's gonna be able to survive on Kyuubi's chakra alone after this." Naruto said with a sigh.

If it weren't for the fact that Tsunade knew Naruto could do it, she'd start questioning the blonde. "I'm surprised you haven't started teaching her how to do it herself." Tsunade commented.

"We're working on it." Naruto answered simply. "Right now I'm teaching her the basics like rendering a seal worthless."

"Naruto!"

"What? You didn't think the Bijuu broke out on their own, did you?" Naruto questioned innocently as he grabbed his daughter. "Easy, little one."

A grin spread across Hisoka's face as she nestled against her father, breathing in relief as she felt Kyuubi's warm chakra moving through her being. She watched the Bijuu and the Kages, wondering if they really could work out an agreement. "We're going to talk about this later." Tsunade warned the blonde.

"Nothing as complicated as my seal! I mean simple stuff like breaking open baby seals so she can get her hands on Kyuubi's chakra!"

"Baby seals." Hisoka agreed with a small frown. "The one on the scary statue was a lot harder but a lot more fun to break. Those buttheads all thought I was just talking and trying to touch them through the statue but when the Bijuu broke out, they peed themselves!"

"Hold on a minute. When did you get your hands on a harder looking seal?" Naruto asked warily.

"Momma." The girl tapped her head and looked at him.

Okay, he was calling then and there that not everything Hisoka knew could be blamed solely on him. He could, however, make a suggestion that every memory that Mishima had planted in their daughter's head was sealed up so the girl could stand a chance. He'd just wait until he could talk to Tsunade in private to let her know. "Well, now that we have that figured out I suggest we get to figuring out how exactly we're going to make this work." Lord Tsuchikage said calmly, his eyes resting on Hisoka. "You realize we have high expectations for you in the future, little one."

Looking up at her father for a moment and watching as he nodded slightly before grinning brightly. "I'll be able to handle it! Believe it!"

Okay, _that_ he could blame on himself and his mother. Laughing softly, Naruto mussed the girl's hair up before watching as she ran to play with the demons. At this moment in the girl's eyes, Naruto knew that there was nothing wrong in the world.

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><p>lostmoonchild: I admit I couldn't resist having Hisoka say "believe it" at least once in this story or kind of beg Kankuro to make Ichibi stop with his threatswarnings. Not much else to say about this chapter other than read and review!


	37. Chapter 37

lostmoonchild: I know, it's Saturday and not Friday. I could blame work but that'd be a lie. So ya'll remember back in October when I was freaking out over making five cloaks for Halloween? Well, I got a request to make a Batman cloak from the mom of four of the five kids so I had to do a rush job. It turned out pretty good in my opinion and since I just finished it, here's the new chapter! Thanks for the review(s) and I've decided to simply stop addressing the yaoi thing. If people don't want to look at the warnings then I'm not gonna bother pointing them out. To quote my dad: "Look before you complain."

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Thirty Seven<p>

"So you're leaving, huh?" Akina questioned a few days later as she and Naruto watched the two children play.

"Yeah. The other Bijuu need to get put in their hosts and the only way they'll go willingly is if Hi-Hi goes too."

Akina smiled softly as she watched the girl flip Kenji only to get tackled by the boy. It was always funny to watch kunoichi in training go against a shinobi in training. "I wanna thank you for being such a gentlemen that night." Akina said with a small blush as she fuzzily remembered the make out session she and Naruto had after retreating to her house for more drinks. "I think most guys would purposely get me wasted just for a romp in the sack."

Naruto fidgeted slightly before answering, "Well, I like you and I'm fairly certain every female friend I have would make it a point to beat the crap out of me if I behaved less than gentlemanly."

"You… like me?" There was disbelief in the woman's eyes.

"Yeah. Even Hi-Hi likes you and actually made it a point to tell me that she does." Naruto glanced at her. "I know long distance relationships usually don't work but maybe we can give it a try?"

Akina smiled faintly, her blush deepening. "I'm nothing special. I mean, you could have any girl you wanted and you're choosing a one-armed woman?" Akina asked softly. "Naruto, are you insane?"

"There's people that love to call me an idiot but I think I'd really be an idiot if I let such an amazing woman slip by."

She couldn't remember the last time a man had ever told her such a thing. Not even Kenji's father had ever said such words to her and actually looks as if he meant it. "Naruto." Akina said softly, her eyes growing moist.

"I don't know what exactly Kenji's father told you for however long you guys were married but I can tell you right now that I'm nothing like him. If you want to give us a try then we can do the typical letters and occasional visits."

"I'd like that." Akina said softly. "Do you know when you're leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow. Gaara wants the whole day with Hisoka for some godfather slash goddaughter time."

"That child's going to be one dangerous woman when she grows up." Akina laughed softly. "I almost feel sorry for the poor bastards that go up against her."

"I'm already feeling sorry for her Jounin teacher."

Akina gave him a suggestive look before answering, "Well, since you guys are leaving day after tomorrow, how about we have a little sleepover? I'm sure Kenji and Hisoka would love it and we could have a little fun of our own."

"_Do _not_ say no!"_ Kyuubi warned the blonde. _"If you do, I swear I'm going to make sure you have wet dreams for the next year!"_

Naruto rubbed the back of his head before answering, "Well, if we're gonna give a relationship a try then I think you'd better know that every so often, I get suggestions from Kyuubi."

"Okay…"

"And right now he's warning me not to turn down your invitation or face a year's worth of wet dreams."

Akina laughed in response, her eyes dancing with laughter. "Then I suppose we'd better spare you." Akina laughed softly.

"Please."

The two adults smiled softly at each other before turning their attention back to the kids. It was amusing to watch them practice their ninjutsu together, giving the other tips. When they switched over to taijutsu, Naruto almost started laughing at how quickly they took to wrestling. "We'll let them wear themselves out. Then we'll tell them." Akina said softly.

"Sleepover?"

"Yep."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_Thwack._

Giggles left the two children's lips as they hit each other with pillows, knowing that sooner or later their parents would come in and tell them to knock it off. Neither one could believe it when their parents had said that they were all going to be sleeping in the same house but now they didn't want to do anything else. "How come your mom said my dad could sleep over too?" Hisoka questioned.

"I don't know. Mom's never let any grownups stay over ever since my dad walked out."

"Maybe your mom likes my dad."

"She smiles a lot more. Does your dad like my mom?"

"I think so. Kyuu-chan says that we need to be big kids and not feel threatened cause grownups need special kinds of love that only other grownups should give. Kankuro says that grownups have a special hug that can make babies."

Kenji's eyes widened. "Do you think they'll make a baby?" Kenji questioned. "I'd like a little brother but a sister would be cool too."

"I don't think so. He said there was another hug that was fun but only grownups should do."

The two children glanced towards the door, each one wondering what exactly the two adults were going to do. They knew better than trying to sneak in seeing as both adults were trained shinobi but they couldn't help but wonder what exactly would happen. "C'mon, we should probably get ready for bed. Mom gets scary when I'm not ready for bed when I'm supposed to." Kenji said as he helped Hisoka up.

The girl nodded slightly, neither one saying anything as they got changed. Kenji glanced over at the girl and saw the scar on her stomach with his curiosity immediately peaking. "What happened?" Kenji questioned.

"Hmm?"

"That." The boy pointed before adding, "Your scar."

Hisoka fidgeted slightly as she put her pajama top on before answering, "I got hit by a jutsu and the doctor in Konoha had to cut me open to fix what was broken."

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's okay. Daddy says that it's proof I'm a fighter so I shouldn't be ashamed of it."

They finished dressing in silence and had just gotten back from brushing their teeth when Akina and Naruto came into the room. "See? I told you they'd be ready for bed when we came in." Akina said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. Tired, Hi-Hi?"

"You always tell me that I need to follow house rules when I'm at someone else's house." Hisoka responded.

"Point to you." Akina said with a laugh as she looked at Naruto.

The blonde grinned as he tucked Hisoka into the bed, watching out of the corner of his eye as Akina did the same. "Good night, my little one." Naruto said softly as he kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Good night, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too."

Akina smiled as she stroked Kenji's hair, her eyes tender. "Sweet dreams, honey." Akina told him. "Angels are watching over you."

"And demons are watching over Hisoka-chan." Kenji said with a grin.

"Exactly!" Hisoka giggled.

"Okay, you two. It's time for bed now." Akina replied gently. "I love you, little monkey-man."

"Ooh ooh ah ah." Kenji laughed as his mother tucked him into bed. "Wanna know what that means?"

"What?"

"I love you too."

"Okay, good night and sleep tight."

Hisoka's eyes widened slightly when Akina brushed her fingers through her hair. She glanced over and saw the same surprise on Kenji's face as Naruto made sure he was tucked snugly into bed. When both adults left the room, the two children shifted so they were looking at each other. "I think they like each other a lot more than just liking." Kenji whispered.

"Yeah. They act like we're the other's kid too."

"Weird. My dad never did stuff like that before."

"I don't know if Momma did that when I was a baby so it's new to me. Are all moms like that?"

"No clue. I think so though."

"Good night, you two!" Naruto called from the living room.

Both children giggled as their fingers entwined with each other, their eyes growing heavy as they steadily drifted off to sleep. If this was what a complete family was like then they each wanted to keep it for as long as possible.

Naruto smiled as he and Akina listened for sounds of the children talking, feeling the woman shift slightly against him. "I'll check." Akina said softly as she got up. "Kenji doesn't always fall asleep so easily but he falls asleep so easily after he's played with Hisoka."

"Yeah, she's a bundle of energy." Naruto chuckled as he got up. "I'll check too."

"I've got it. Just make yourself at home."

Naruto felt his heart race as the woman placed a soft kiss on his lips, his eyes holding surprise as she slipped away to check on the children. He'd be lying if he didn't find her to be the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She was absolutely perfect in his eyes and he'd be sure to show her exactly what he thought.

Surprise crossed his features when she appeared again and straddled his lap, her arm wrapping around his neck as she smiled. "I take it they're out cold?" Naruto questioned.

"I don't think they'll be waking up during the night." Akina responded softly, her breath warm against his lips.

Their lips clashed together in a battle for dominance, their hunger washing away all logic. Naruto gripped the woman's hips tightly as they kissed, relishing in the way her body pressed against and molded against his. "Bedroom." Naruto told her. "I don't know about you but I'd rather not chance the kids waking up and seeing us."

Akina smiled softly as she nodded in understanding, her desire burning brightly in her green eyes. She slipped from the blonde's lap and held his hand as she led him to her room. Chills of excitement went down her spine when Naruto would place soft kisses against her neck and shoulders as they walked, her eyes closing when his large hands would brush against her skin and leave behind a tingling feeling.

No sooner had they gotten to her room and shut the door behind them did their lips clashed together in a battle for dominance once again.

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><p>lostmoonchild: Oooh, Naruto's gonna get some action! I actually had a fairly good scene written for the next chapter when my computer said there was an error and I had to do the whole freaking chapter again! So anyway, I'm gonna say this in advance and do a reminder next chapter: <em><strong>Chapter Thirty Eight contains a lemon! Ye who don't like lemons might as well skip next chapter! <strong>_ With that public service announcement out of the way: Read and review!


	38. Chapter 38

lostmoonchild: Ohayo! Thanks for the reviews! I've been up since five and had to go in to work only to get kicked home after unforseen circumstances. So anyway, I'm going to make it clear that there will be a chapter warning for this one and I don't want to see any flames cause there's a lemon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

**Chapter Warning: LEMON! Don't like it? Skip this week and come back next week. Also, a word from this story's authoress: Control the human population. Put a cap on it if you're gonna tap it.**

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><p>Chapter Thirty Eight<p>

A small sound left Akina's lips as they fell backwards onto the bed, their kisses turning into soft bites as they began working on the other's clothes. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so eager for anybody and as she felt Naruto tug softly on her clothes, it was clear he wanted her as badly.

She shrugged out of her shirt; her face turning red when she realized that Naruto's attention had turned to her missing arm. "I know. It's terrible. I wouldn't blame you if you just-" Her eyes widened when Naruto claimed her lips.

"I'm going to make you see that I think you're beautiful." Naruto told her when they parted for air. "Believe it."

Her breaths were deep as Naruto's large hands moved over her body, sending her nerves alight. She could feel herself molding to the blonde's will as he softly massaged her breasts and muscles, the liquid heat within her growing when he'd press the right spot. She didn't know if Hisoka's mother had been treated to the same treatment but she found herself unable to care. The man had the kind of touch that was enough to make anybody feel safe.

She moved her arm slightly when Naruto's hand curled around the stump, rubbing softly before he directed his attention downwards. A soft moan reached the blonde's ears as he softly kissed the woman's flat stomach, his fingers quickly undoing the woman's pants and slipping them from her body.

Naruto felt his breath catch in his chest as he stared at her, his eyes darkening even more in lust. A grin spread across his lips as he lightly traced her folds, feeling how wet she already was. "You've been planning this." Naruto growled softly in her ear, listening to the small moan that left her lips as he slipped a finger into her. "Have you been thinking about this all day, Akina?"

The woman bit back a cry when Naruto's finger brushed against her clit, all thoughts temporarily leaving her mind. "Yes." Akina admitted with a small moan. "Naruto, please. I've been waiting for so long now…"

Her eyes closed as she felt another finger enter her just before a third. She could feel her lower abdomen beginning to tense as the liquid heat within her began to increase in intensity. She loved the feeling that he was giving her and arched her back as the world around her came crashing down.

Naruto kept moving his fingers as he felt the woman's muscles flex around his fingers, feeling the warm liquid wash over his fingers. He watched as she rode out her orgasm, soaking in the sight before him. "Beautiful." Naruto breathed as he leaned over her and kissed her before licking his fingers clean. "I wish you could see how you look."

Akina wrapped her arm around him and kissed him, tasting herself on his tongue. She had never had an orgasm that intense with Kenji's father, often resorting to faking. "Holy shit." Akina panted before kissing the blonde again. "Your turn."

The blonde grinned slightly as they shifted their positions, helping her take his shirt off. Akina felt the blonde's muscles twitch slightly as she lightly pressed her hand against his stomach before moving her hand up to his chest. She moved so she was straddling him before softly grinding herself against him.

A groan left the blonde's lips as he gripped the woman's hips before feeling her stop. "Should we skip straight to the main course, Naruto?" Akina asked softly.

"Please."

A small smile spread across the woman's face as she slipped from his grasp and undid his pants, amazing the blonde that she was able to do it with one hand. Every other partner he had been with all had needed both hands but he supposed with only one hand at her immediate disposal, she had gotten lots of practice. "I take it you like this." Akina murmured as she slowly unzipped his pants.

A garbled response reached her ears, giving the woman a sense of pride. She continued to watch his face as she pulled his pants and boxers off of him before tossing the unneeded clothes onto the floor. Seeing that he was focusing his entire attention onto her, the woman reached over and pulled something out of the drawer. "Put this on. I really don't want to have another baby just yet." Akina told him.

Naruto took the condom and carefully put it on, fully agreeing with the woman. Hisoka was enough of a handful for him despite being a good kid and he was fairly certain that Kenji was the same way for her. Once the condom was in place, Naruto held onto the woman's hips as she carefully moved so his length was pressing against her entrance.

The woman took a deep breath as she fought back the fear that was trying to settle in her stomach. Some part of her wondered if she could actually take Naruto into her without hurting herself seeing as he was more… endowed than her ex-husband. No, Mishima had managed to take the blonde and seeing as Hisoka was built nothing like her father it was safe to assume that the child's small frame came from her mother.

A groan left her lips as she slowly took the blonde's length into her, feeling him stretching her farther than what she could remember ever being filled. Naruto gripped the woman's hips tightly and stared up at her as she fully seated herself on him. "You okay?" Naruto asked softly.

"Just…give me a minute." Akina panted softly.

The two stared at each other with soft expressions, neither one wanting to spoil the moment. When Akina felt she was ready, she slowly began to move against him. Her lids grew heavy as she watched his face, biting back a cry of pleasure when he thrust his hips up against her. Gods, how in the world could this man _still_ be single when he was a gentleman out of bed and a god in bed?

A cry left her lips as Naruto suddenly flipped her onto her back, her hips moving up against him as he thrust deeply into her. She clawed his back and bit his shoulder in an attempt to keep her cries muffled only to find some of them still escaping when he hit a sensitive spot within her. "I'm going…" Akina cried out and arched her back as another orgasm shook her body, her muscles clamping down on the blonde's length.

Naruto bit his lip to keep himself from having an orgasm himself, wanting the woman to have as much fun as possible. He stilled and waited patiently until the tremors died down slightly before starting again. He'd show her that he would make sure she enjoyed herself to the fullest extent possible and as they hungrily kissed each other, he knew she appreciated it.

A grunt left the blonde's lips when he finally gave into his body's demands, pressing himself as deeply into the woman as possible as he felt her body shudder around him. He couldn't remember ever having such an intense orgasm and as he stared into the woman's dazed eyes, it clearly was the first time she had ever had such intense orgasms. "How in the fuck were you still single?" Akina questioned as Naruto slowly pulled out of her.

"Jinchuuriki then word got out that Hisoka's mother was a member of the Kairi family." Naruto responded as he threw the condom away.

"That's bullshit. Sure, they were all twisted fucks but her mother must have been a good woman."

"She was."

Akina sighed softly as she pulled Naruto back to her, resting her head on his shoulder. "You realize that there's gonna be no getting rid of me so easily, right?" Akina questioned. "Our kids like each other."

"Yeah. Is that such a bad thing though when I like you?" Naruto teased softly as he lightly nipped the woman's jaw.

Akina moaned softly as she felt the liquid heat growing within her again. "Damn it, you're going to make me pass out with the next orgasm." Akina moaned softly.

Naruto chuckled a little before answering, "Okay, I'll behave."

"Did I tell you I wanted you to behave?" There was a playful glint in the woman's eyes. "Know any other fun positions?"

"How many condoms do you have tucked away in the drawer?"

"Enough to last until we pass out."

Grinning slightly, Naruto claimed the woman's lips before reaching for the drawer. From the look that had appeared in Akina's eyes, they were going to be using quite a few condoms before their bodies couldn't handle anymore.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Personally I think a few guys could learn something from Naruto concerning safe sex. Goddess knows I have a friend or two that refuses to use condoms and someday it's gonna bite them in the ass. Right, so now that my little public announcement has been made and the chapter's done, read and review!<p> 


	39. Chapter 39

lostmoonchild: Hey, everybody! Thanks for the review! Busy week and probably the one incident that make me go "What the hell?" was when I was messing with my horse. Now he's a couple years old, gonna be three come June and he's Arabian so he's not going to be very big. He pulled me off my feet _twice_ (and I'm not exactly light) so I'm laughing and have a deeper respect for my little horse's strength.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty Nine<p>

Gaara was silent as he listened to one of the many stories his goddaughter enjoyed telling, wondering if there wasn't some truth in some of them. "So then this huge snake showed up and said, 'I am the king of snakes! Fear me!' and the ninja prince answered, 'Let my village go or you will die!' The snake laughed and said that he wasn't going to and that he was going to eat the ninja prince." Hisoka's eyes focused on Gaara's face, seeing the interest in his eyes. "You wanna know what happened next?"

"What?"

"The snake was poisonous so the ninja prince had to be really careful. They fought for three days straight!"

"Three days? Impressive."

"Yeah, and the ninja prince was so tired that he thought he was gonna die but then he got this idea so he grabbed a paper bomb and tuck it to the cliff before calling the snake. When the snake went to attack, the bomb went off and the snake was crushed to death." Hisoka looked pleased. "So the ninja prince went into the snake's lair and freed the entire village. Then they all lived happily ever after."

Gaara allowed himself to smile faintly at the child's story, knowing full well that she loved telling them stories. He'd be surprised if the girl didn't grow up to be an author like Naruto's godfather had been but he wouldn't be pleased if the girl wrote those same smut stories. "That's good." Gaara responded. "People should be allowed to have happy times in their lives."

Hisoka nodded in agreement and smiled as she hugged his arm tightly. Suddenly a serious expression appeared on her face and she tugged his shirt a little. "How come Daddy wants Sasuke back so bad?" Hisoka finally asked.

"Naruto and Sasuke were friends when they were Gennin. When Sasuke left, Naruto made a promise to bring him back."

"So that's why Daddy went on that training trip with Ero-sennin?"

Naruto really needed to watch what he called people around his daughter. Gaara knew the blonde knew that the girl was repeating what he said but it remained to be seen if Naruto really cared. "Yes." Gaara responded.

"So what if Sasuke does come back? What'll happen then?"

Likely he'd be executed but Naruto seemed to think that the council wouldn't do much to the Uchiha. "You'll come to stay here for a while until things get figured out." Gaara responded.

"They're not gonna kill him. They're gonna make it seem like it's my fault cause I'm dirty."

Gaara looked at the girl and saw the sadness in her eyes. "What makes you think you're dirty?" Gaara questioned as he knelt down in front of her.

"One of the grownups said that I'm dirty cause I'm not a virgin."

"Here?"

Slowly Hisoka nodded. "It's okay though. Daddy's not throwing me away cause he loves me and all our friends like me even though I'm dirty."

Gaara gave her a stern look before answering, "Hisoka Uzumaki, you are by no means dirty. Do you understand me?"

"Uh huh. But how come I got called dirty just because I'm not a virgin? What's a virgin? Is it something good? It's gotta be."

Gaara sighed a little before answering, "You'll understand when you're older."

"Is it good?"

"I suppose. I never really thought about it."

Hisoka gave him a questioning look before answering, "How come? Don't grownups make a big deal over it?"

"Most grownups, I suppose."

Deciding that maybe she should let the conversation drop, Hisoka hugged his arm again. "Is that boy doing okay? Ichi-kun said he'd let the boy sleep for a few hours so he didn't get a messed up attic."

Gaara paused a moment as his thoughts went back to the teenage boy they had found a short while from Suna. His village had been more than eager to get rid of him, thinking that he had committed some crime in Suna and had finally been found. It was almost as if the boy had been a Jinchuuriki before actually having the demon sealed within him. Then upon seeing Hisoka for the first time, the boy had been naturally drawn to her and hadn't reacted at all when she poked him with some of the demon's chakra.

It bothered Naruto when he realized what his daughter was basically going to be doing and Gaara even admitted that it bothered him. While he was more than willing to take the demon back into his own body, he knew that it wasn't possible. He also knew that he couldn't leave the boy alone with any hopes to tame the beast. "He's doing well." Gaara told her.

"That's good. Ichi-kun's happy cause he's back in a person but he wishes he could get out a lot more. I told him that if he gets out, Sasuke-teme's going to find him and the old Uchiha-teme would lock him up in that statue again."

"That would be unfortunate."

"I know. The boy looked happy though like he found what he was supposed to do."

Gaara remembered the look of relief that had reflected on the teenager's face, one that told them all he finally understood. He had apparently been the village outcast all of his life, thrown out of his home by his parents and forced to steal in order to survive. It really wasn't that different than what a Jinchuuriki had to resort to just to survive so he, Naruto, and Killer Bee were all understanding. _"It's gonna be okay, onii-san. If you get lost, I'll find you again. You don't have to be lost no more. I'm here now."_ Hisoka's words had sent the teenager into tears, which had surprised the girl when he suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.

"Wanna hear another story?" Hisoka questioned.

"Sure."

Smiling brightly, Hisoka began telling the redhead another story dealing with her favorite ninja prince.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Giggles left the child's lips as she spun around, singing some song about being a kitten. Gaara didn't know where the child had learned the song but wondered if this was the reason Naruto was content with just watching the child. For almost half an hour she spun in circles, always giggling when her skirt would fly up a little before she changed her direction. Gaara had long ago stopped rushing to her side when she fell down with giggles leaving her lips, realizing that the girl just loved to spin around. She was enjoying herself and who was he to deny the girl any times of happiness?

The Kazekage watched as the girl dizzily walked over to him, giggling when she fell down again before slowly getting up and walking back to him. "Gotcha!" Hisoka giggled as she grabbed Gaara's hand.

A small smile spread across the redhead's lips as he picked the girl up and set her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "I think I've got you." Gaara responded before playfully tipping the girl upside down and tickling her.

Squeals of laughter left the girl's lips as she started kicking her feet before rolling off of his lap when he let her go. "I got sand in my mouth." Hisoka said as she stuck out her tongue.

Chuckling softly, Gaara picked the girl up and wondered just what kind of magic this child possessed. Despite everything, she was always so loving to those around her. "Should we go get some lunch?" Gaara questioned calmly.

"Yeah! Not ramen though, okay? I'm trying to get Daddy to not eat so much of it but I think he pigs out on it when I'm sleeping. No meat either. I don't like meat at lunch."

Somehow he could actually believe that. He was just impressed nobody ever tried an intervention for how much ramen the blonde consumed in a single day. "Sure. Do you want to try something new?" Gaara questioned.

"Like what?"

"There's dishes that are only available in the desert. You won't find them anywhere else."

Hisoka looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Well, Shino says that I shouldn't say I don't like something unless I've tried it so yeah!"

Setting the girl down, Gaara watched as the girl took his hand in hers and walked next to him, humming some song. As they walked through the streets, he nodded slightly to the villagers that were still out in the hot sun and watched as Hisoka moved to hide behind him. "Something wrong?" Gaara questioned patiently.

"That man has a snake." Hisoka pointed before whimpering and hiding behind him. "I don't like snakes. Orochimaru would make them bite me and he'd laugh."

Gaara stared at the traveler, seeing that he had several snakes in cages. It wasn't an uncommon thing for someone to be selling snakes as either pets or a meal but he didn't think he'd really know what to do if his goddaughter started screaming or having a general fit in the market. "Okay, let's go then." Gaara said softly.

He could feel her trembling against him as they moved away from the man and the snakes. It was clear she was fighting back her terror and as soon as he picked her up, felt her face bury itself in the crook of his neck. "I really hate snakes." Hisoka whimpered. "Really, really hate them."

"It's all right. You're okay."

They went into a small restaurant that Gaara had gone to several times before, finding their service to be pleasant. It was quiet compared to some of the other places he could have taken the child to but he remembered hearing at some point that the girl preferred not being in large crowds with strangers. "Good afternoon, Lord Kazekage," said the owner with a bow. "How are you doing this afternoon?"

"Very well, thank you. This is my goddaughter, Uzumaki Hisoka. She's visiting from Konoha." Gaara told the owner.

Hisoka peered at the shop's owner and offered a small smile before hiding behind Gaara again. "She's a pretty little girl. Rather shy though." The owner commented with a chuckle. "What can I get you today?"

"Two orders of the special and some tea. Hisoka, would you like anything? Milk?"

"Tummy don't like milk." Hisoka answered softly. "Can I have tea too? I like that."

The man laughed softly before answering, "A girl who knows what she likes. Coming right up."

Gaara watched as the girl cautiously peered around before she ducked under the table and started exploring. He watched her eyes light up with excitement when she saw the paintings that hung on the walls, wondering what she found so interesting about the various landscapes. "Hisoka." Gaara said patiently.

Hisoka immediately darted back over to his side and grinned at him with the familiar Uzumaki grin. "I like art. Sai's teaching me to draw and when I get bigger he's gonna show me how to make my stuff come to life." Hisoka reported.

Was there seriously anything that nobody was willing to teach her? "I see. What do you like to draw?" Gaara questioned.

"Lots of things. I like drawing animals and people best though."

Nodding slightly, Gaara listened as the girl explained everything she was learning and from who. "I like Daddy's lessons best though. He's teaching me seals now." Hisoka told him. "Did you know that those were baby seals we used to put some of the Bijuu chakra in the scrolls? I can do those by myself now but Daddy watches to make sure I don't mess up."

"I knew." Gaara responded. What he hadn't known before was that Hisoka could do those seals by herself.

The girl beamed when they received their food, thanking the man, before carefully poking at her food. "This stuff you only find in the desert?" Hisoka asked, her eyes showing interest.

"Yes."

"What's it called?"

"That's called silver buffaloberry, sweet cicely, camas, and the meat's probably a rabbit."

Gaara watched with amusement as she carefully separated the meat away from the fruit and vegetables before she took a small piece of her meal and took a cautious bite. If someone had told him before that watching a kid try something new was so interesting, he probably wouldn't have believed him before watching his goddaughter. "It's good. What kind of fruit is this one?" Hisoka questioned as she pointed to his plate, seeing a fruit that wasn't on hers.

"It's from cactus." Gaara replied as he gave her a little to try.

"It's good."

The redhead smiled as he ate, watching his goddaughter wolf down her food as if she hadn't eaten in days. "Can we spar after lunch? Pretty please with sugar on top?" Hisoka questioned.

"Sure."

The rest of the day flew by and by the time it was time to eat; Gaara found himself carrying the exhausted child on his back as she struggled to stay awake. He managed to keep himself from laughing as he felt the child's head drop against his neck only to feel her wake up again before her head dropped again, this time resting on his shoulder. "The hell did you do to her?" Naruto chuckled as he took his daughter from the redhead.

"Sparred." Gaara responded patiently. "I think she'll sleep all night."

Naruto carefully adjusted the girl in his arms before giving Gaara a huge grin. "So if she ever comes to stay here for good, you think you'll be able to keep up?" Naruto questioned.

He didn't think he'd be able to keep up. He _knew_ he'd be able to keep up. "Let's just hope that the situation that would require her to live here for good will never happen." Gaara responded patiently. "She has no memory of her mother's love but I know she'll always remember how much you love her."

With a small blush forming across his face, Naruto looked down at his daughter. "Then it's a good thing you love her too. That way if something happens to me, she'll have someone that she knows loves her as much as she loves him."

Suddenly startled at the realization that a child loved him, Gaara stared at his goddaughter for a few moments before replying, "Just don't die, Uzumaki. Hisoka doesn't remember her mother but if you were to die, I doubt the girl could ever recover."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I admit that this last part gave me a pain in the butt time since there was just something missing and it didn't come to light until I was poking at this a couple days ago trying to find whatever it was. Right, so I'm gonna vanish for a week and try to enjoy this unusually warm weather we've been getting here in South Dakota before somebody turns around and gives us snow. Read and review!<p> 


	40. Chapter 40

lostmoonchild: Arigato, minna-san for the reviews! The weather here in South Dakota got cold and the snow finally fell so no more springtime weather. Not too bad of an idea, I think, but I could go without the wind chills. So here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty<p>

There was no place like home and as Naruto collapsed onto his comfortable bed, he knew that when Hisoka woke up she'd be determined to see which of their friends was still in the village and who was on a mission. The past four months had been pure hell with nearly two months being spent in Killer Bee's village being watched by ANBU.

Nearly a dozen times Hisoka had almost lost control from attempting to keep the chakra to herself until they left and three of those times had forced him and Killer Bee to resort to their Bijuu forms to help Nibi calm her down. He and Killer Bee had spent the next few days recovering from their injuries while Hisoka lay unconscious under ANBU watch. The last he had known, Nibi was resting within its (_"According to Hisoka, Nibi's a girl."_ Kyuubi reminded the weary blonde.) new host completely exhausted from attempting to help.

Naruto was just grateful that Lady Mizukage had been more understanding of Hisoka's need to release the demonic chakra and hadn't raised any complaints. Once the other demons had been put inside their hosts, father and daughter had been allowed to return to Konoha. In the morning he knew Tsunade would come barging into the apartment demanding to know what in the hell had happened.

What could he tell her? That his daughter had tried to be like any other human and had managed to shift over to some demonic version of herself in the process before losing complete control? Nobody had died although Naruto knew he'd be lying if he were to say injuries had been avoided. At least seven other shinobi had been placed in the hospital and the Raikage had gotten a headache from Naruto yelling from his own hospital bed.

The blonde's eyes closed in weariness before he covered his eyes with his arm. He'd think about it in the morning. Right now he just wanted to pass out in his bed and pretend that hell hadn't almost broken loose. With a deep sigh, the blonde fell into a dreamless sleep.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Stinky." Hisoka reported as she covered her nose and watched as her father cleaned out the fridge with pure disgust.

"Yeah, I kinda forgot to clean out the fridge before I booked it after you." Naruto responded with a disgusted look. "This, honey, is why we have mostly canned food and ramen. They don't rot and reproduce flesh-eating monsters in the fridge."

Hisoka wrinkled her nose and made a noise when the blonde threw away some rotting meat. "I think dead bodies look nicer than that." Hisoka told him. "Even the ones that were rotting for a month."

"You may be right, hon." Naruto tied the garbage bag and tossed it into the garbage chute, resisting the urge to flinch when he heard a very questionable noise from inside the bag. "Now to scrub the fridge. Then we'll go shopping for food."

"I don't think I wanna eat for a month." Hisoka told him.

"Rule of three. Three days without water, three weeks without food." Naruto told her. "You're a week shy."

"Damn."

"Language. I know I let you say bad words when it comes to Sasuke or the old Uchiha bastard but you still need to watch your language."

The two looked towards the door when they heard a knocking, Hisoka immediately jumping up and grabbing her stool to look. "It's Granny Tsunade!" Hisoka reported as she jumped down and pushed the stool to the side to let the Hokage in. "Hi, Granny Tsunade!"

Tsunade smiled warmly at the girl before giving the blonde a questioning look. "Do I really want to know what happened?" Tsunade questioned.

"Food apparently spawns man-eating creatures." Naruto responded. "Hi-chan, why don't you go finish throwing your clothes into the dirty laundry?"

Hisoka nodded as she darted back to her room, causing both adults to sigh when they heard the familiar thuds of her crashing into walls and doors. "So I got this interesting report from Lord Raikage regarding a loss of control." Tsunade said with a raised eyebrow. "Care to give me your version?"

"She tried to be normal, she lost control but nobody was killed. You just wanna spare me the lecture?"

"You want to tell me how in the hell she turned into a demon Hisoka?"

"She kept too much of it locked up." Naruto moved so he was sitting on the counter. "You realize that she could turn it into an attack?"

The look Tsunade gave him told the blonde that he'd better not even think of teaching his daughter how to do it. "From now on, I want her to regularly release the Bijuu's chakra. I don't care how it's done just as long as there's not a repeat. Understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She thought he was being unusually respectful and a single glance into the living room revealed the small girl hiding behind a chair, watching them with a careful look. It was hard to tell what exactly the girl felt when she hid behind the chair as if thinking that she had gone unnoticed. "I realize that she was kept from releasing the chakra so the only one that's really going to get chewed out is Lord Raikage." Tsunade told him. "By the way, there's a mission for you. Swing by my office later and pick it up."

Great. He had just gotten home the night before and already he was getting missions. "Sure. I'll start hunting for a babysitter." Naruto answered with a sigh.

He waited until Tsunade had left the apartment before flopping back onto the couch. Hisoka crawled out from behind the chair and sat on her father's stomach, gray eyes meeting blue. "I'm sorry, Daddy." Hisoka told him.

"For what?"

"Being bad. I tried to be good."

Naruto's large hand cupped the side of Hisoka's head and he gave her a weary smile. "You're not bad. You just got to a place you weren't ready for, that's all. It happens to everybody at some point."

Hisoka's eyes focused on him for a moment before she asked, "Did you get to that place?"

"A few times. That was before Kyuu-chan and I started getting along."

The girl hesitated a moment before asking, "Can I tell you a secret, Daddy?"

"Sure? What's going on?"

"That wasn't the first time I did that bad thing. I did it before when the snake man had me."

Naruto sat up and stared at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. "What'cha mean? You've actually done that before?" Naruto questioned.

"It was different. He starved some dogs and let them loose on me. I don't remember what happened cause everything went black but when I woke up, the dogs were all torn up and I was covered in blood." Tears gathered in Hisoka's eyes. "I never did it again until we were taking Ni-chan back home!"

The blonde hugged his daughter tightly, murmuring soft words of comfort. "It's okay. I'm gonna figure out a way to keep you from doing all demon again."

"How?"

"When Grandpa Minato made up my seal, he made it so Kyuu-chan's chakra would work into my system so we're gonna make up a seal that does the same thing for you except it'll stop you from going crazy mad."

"But the Bijuu chakra already goes into my chakra system. Hinata and Neji are always watching like it's really interesting."

Naruto sighed softly before answering, "It is to some people, honey. Just give me some time and I'll make up something to help. Okay?"

Hisoka nodded before brightly smiling at her father. "Will you read some of Jiraiya-Ji-Ji's story to me?" Hisoka asked finally.

Imagining his godfather rolling in his grave at being called "Ji-Ji" by anybody, Naruto chuckled softly. "Honey, the proper name for Jiraiya was Ero-sennin just like we call Tsunade 'Granny Tsunade' and Orochimaru 'Snake bastard' so let's treat our elders with respect."

How exactly that was respecting her elders, Hisoka had no idea but she was pretty pleased with the idea of not having to change her ideas about people. "Okay. So will you?"

"Sure."

Moving so he was in a comfortable position, Naruto reached over and grabbed the aforementioned book as Hisoka nestled against him. Softly kissing her head, Naruto began to read.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I can actually see Jiraiya getting all excited over being called "Ji-Ji" by a kid. It's really too bad he had to die but my muse and I are arguing over if we should figure something out about it or not. By the time this story ends, we should have reached a conclusion so I'll let ya'll know then. Read and review!<p> 


	41. Chapter 41

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews, everybody! Sorry I didn't update last week, I had to work then ended up having so little energy it was insane. Broke down on Monday and went to the quack (seriously, I will not go visit her unless I'm half dead) so now I'm on two meds that are making me pretty sleepy. Anyway, here's last week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty One<p>

-Hisoka's POV-

The child of a shinobi must always be prepared for the worst. They must keep quiet while their parent studies the details of the given mission in order to help ensure that their parent's mission is a success. If the parent dies in a mission, they can mourn but they must always claim to feel pride that their parent died serving the village.

I poke at my food as Neji glances at me, probably wondering what to do if I don't eat anything. Should he let me eat later or should he just make me wait until the next meal?

I bet now he wishes he had thought to ask somebody before everybody got busy. "How's school?" Neji asks finally, clearly uncomfortable.

"Good."

"Getting caught up?"

"Yeah. I already learned that stuff."

"That's good."

I took a small bite of my food and resisted the urge to crunch up my face at the taste. _You've had worse. You actually stole rotten meat from a rat._ I thought to myself as I forced myself to take another bite. Clearly Neji wasn't the cooking type. "Your father said that you're working with seals now." Neji told me. "That must be difficult."

He wasn't social, I remembered that much, so he must be making an effort to make me feel welcome. "I like it." I told him. "You don't need to try so hard. Sai's quiet and so is Kakashi. Even Hinata-chan's quiet so you don't hafta try so hard to talk a lot if you don't wanna."

A look of relief crosses his face quickly as I grin at him. I really don't mind people not talking a whole lot and the look on his face tells me that he knows it now. "Would you like to spar after lunch?" Neji asks finally.

"Okay."

Lunch passes quickly by and we're heading off to a training ground. "Neji!" A familiar voice calls when we get to the training ground.

I bite back a groan and hide behind Neji when Rock Lee comes running towards us. Does Neji have to go on a mission too? He shouldn't seeing as Granny Tsunade had already been told who was watching me until Daddy got back. Maybe Lee just wanted to talk to Neji about something.

My attention drifts away from their conversation, which mostly included Lee trying to get Neji to spar against him. I smile softly as I reach out and calmly manipulate the Bijuu's chakra to make a dog. It isn't very good, its shape wobbling and shifting. Without thinking twice about it, I began singing the song that Momma taught me in a dream.

**_One for each demon_**  
><strong><em>a child born for them.<em>**  
><strong><em>Nine little guardians<em>**  
><strong><em>born to condemn.<em>**

**_Nine little guardians_**  
><strong><em>to die for his angel.<em>**  
><strong><em>Tenth little guardian<em>**  
><strong><em>keeper of Hell…<em>**

**_In the moon he looks for you._**  
><strong><em>In the moon he'll wait.<em>**  
><strong><em>Keep them safe, number ten,<em>**  
><strong><em>and trust in your own fate.<em>**

**_Find all nine and they will make_**  
><strong><em>Jubi of the Moon.<em>**  
><strong><em>Find all nine and you will see<em>**  
><strong><em>the world will end soon.<em>**

It sounded pretty when Momma sang it to me and from how easily my chakra creature's form molded as I sang the lullaby, the Bijuu's chakra liked it too. A huge smile spreads across my face as I look at Neji and Lee, frowning when I see the frowns on their faces. Without saying a word, I make the chakra creature vanish. "Daddy said I hafta learn to make animals out of chakra to defend myself." I told them.

"Please don't sing that lullaby in the open again." Neji tells me patiently. "Understand?"

Not really, but I nod anyway. It's gotta be a grownup thing since even Kiba looked nervous when I first sang it. Suddenly looking as if he didn't want to spar against Neji anymore, Lee excuses himself and leaves. "Are we gonna spar?" I ask innocently.

With a small nod, Neji sets the rules for our spar. When all the rules are decided, we begin knowing that he'll take it easy on me.

-End POV-

"Neji."

Neji jolted awake and stared at the child that stood in the doorway, seeing she was wearing different pajamas than when she had gone to bed earlier that night. "What is it?" Neji asked as he got out of bed.

"I had a bad dream."

And something told him that she had wet the bed because of the bad dream. With a small sigh, the Hyuuga got up and brushed his hair away from his eyes. He hated waking up in the middle of the night but he supposed he couldn't be upset. "Let's change the sheets." Neji said with a sigh.

A groan threatened to leave his lips when he saw the wet spot on the bed, a sinking feeling in his gut telling him that the entire futon would need to be cleaned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Hisoka said tearfully.

"It's fine."

Hisoka's thumb immediately went into her mouth, her eyes falling on San. "Is San okay? He's not dirty, is he?" Hisoka asked after pulling her thumb from her mouth.

Neji grabbed the stuff animal, checking carefully for any wet spots. "He's okay." Neji handed the stuffed fox back over to the girl.

When the futon was taken out to be cleaned, Neji yawned and stretched before sighing softly. "Come on. You can sleep next to me." Neji said with a sigh.

Having the child nestled against him was something the Hyuuga wasn't familiar with but took comfort in. He watched as her eyes closed and her breaths evened out as she sleepily rubbed her hand against her nose. If this was what Naruto got to watch almost every night then he envied the blonde. He wouldn't admit it out loud but the scene was actually kind of cute.

Resting his head on his pillow, Neji continued to watch the child sleep until sleep overcame him and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

A grunt left Neji's lips when he felt a foot come in contact with his jaw, his white eyes immediately shooting open as he grabbed a kunai. His entire body relaxed when he realized that it had simply been Hisoka acting out a dream. From how quickly she was breathing and how she was moving, the girl was having another nightmare.

A sigh left the Hyuuga's lips as he carefully shook the child awake, watching as her gray eyes slowly focused on him. Tears gathered in her eyes as she threw her arms around him and began crying into his chest. Just what in the world had the child dreamt of?

Neji was silent as he comforted the child, his white eyes soft as he slowly rubbed her back. "What was it?" Neji asked softly.

"The dogs!"

While he knew the girl was still a little afraid of dogs and absolutely terrified of snakes, Neji had never before heard the reasons behind her fears. "What about the dogs?" Neji asked silently.

A whine left the girl's lips as she grabbed her hair, pulling as hard as she could without tearing the dark locks out. "They attacked me cause he starved them and I killed them! Then I saw Momma and she was sad because I did the bad thing and she _killed me_!" Hisoka began crying again, her head shaking as she pulled her hair still.

Neji sighed softly as he gently made the girl let go of her hair. "Hisoka, you are here. You aren't dead." Neji told her. "What's done is done and you need to work on getting past everything. Fate had brought your father to your rescue and you to Konoha for a reason. Do you understand me?"

Slowly the child nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

"Good. Now let's go back to sleep seeing as you've got school in the morning."

Feeling her fidget until her head was pressed against his armpit, Neji watched as the girl's eyes closed again and it was nearly an hour before her breaths evened out in sleep enough to allow the Hyuuga to fall into a light sleep.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I couldn't resist having Neji take care of a kid. Maybe it's just me but he seems kind of awkward when it comes to kids and I like poking at awkward. Anyway, I'm gonna get going and finish updating!<p> 


	42. Chapter 42

lostmoonchild: Here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty Two<p>

Naruto bit back a scream of pain as he struggled to move, feeling the bones in his leg grating against each other. He could feel the cool night air on the exposed skin and panted softly as he laid his head down on the grass. Kyuubi was working on healing his more serious wounds, leaving the less serious to fend for themselves until his chakra was replenished enough to heal him.

"_That was too close for comfort. We were almost fucked seven ways to Sunday."_ Kyuubi commented once he was fairly certain Naruto was going to stop moving long enough for him to finish working on healing his host.

_No shit._ Naruto closed his eyes and felt his breath catch in his throat when a jolt of pain shot from his ribs. _At least that bastard's dead._

Kyuubi growled softly in agreement, clearly pleased with Madara's death. He almost couldn't wait until they could get back to Konoha so he could tell his precious that one of the monsters was dead, that she no longer needed to be afraid of the more dangerous Uchiha. All that remained was Sasuke and as far as Kyuubi was concerned, that Uchiha was pathetic. He knew his precious Dark Temptation could hold her own against him if she were to ever gain control over her family's ultimate ability.

He recalled the first time any of them had used that ability although he was impressed that someone so young could already start accessing it. Measures would need to be taken, of course, but that wasn't anything Naruto couldn't handle. Maybe he should consider teaching the blonde about _demon_ _seals_ instead of just letting the blonde work with human seals. It wasn't like he didn't have the chakra for it but the trick would be doing it without anybody noticing.

Naruto sighed softly to himself as he stared up at the sky, fighting against unconsciousness. He was tired but falling asleep didn't seem overly appealing considering the fact that he was certain he had a concussion. Madara had been a royal pain in his ass to kill and keeping an eye on Sasuke to make sure that he didn't get a Chidori to the back didn't help matters any.

Some part of him felt guilty that he hadn't at least managed to capture Sasuke or make his fury known to the Uchiha. Maybe he realized that if Sasuke were to ever come back to Konoha, he'd be a dead man even if the council decided against having him killed. _"Sleep, kit. I'll keep you safe."_ Kyuubi growled almost tenderly. _"You have my word."_

Yes. Sleep sounded so good right now since he was so tired and his chakra was basically gone. When he woke up, he could go back to his daughter and hold her tight. He wouldn't tell her that he had failed to make Sasuke pay, but perhaps he could tell her that Madara was dead. He knew how much she hated him for hurting the Bijuu so maybe that'd make her happy.

Sighing softly to himself, Naruto closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to overcome him.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like that Kairi woman was more than what she had allowed others to believe. Even after death it was plain to see that she had been about twenty steps ahead of everybody, Madara included. Just what exactly went on in that woman's head? Was it possible that whatever had gone on in Mishima's head was now going on in Hisoka's head? Would his host's daughter have to put up with the same thoughts her mother held?_

_The demon fox sighed softly to himself before focusing on Naruto's wounds. Measures would need to be taken to ensure that Naruto could get an easier access to his chakra. The seal that Yondaime had set up had done nothing but slow the process down. Sure, it allowed the demonic chakra to mix in with Naruto's natural chakra but it was a slow process that often left the blonde exhausted. No, a different variation would be needed._

"_Why in the hell did you bring me here?" Naruto demanded._

"_Shut up, brat." Kyuubi told the blonde calmly. "Listen up because I'm not going to repeat myself." Naruto slipped into the cage and leaned against the bars, knowing that nothing would happen to him. "What?" Naruto questioned._

"_I'm going to teach you some highly dangerous seals that others of your kind will be pissed about." Kyuubi told him. "The seal your father created isn't working at its full potential."_

"_If you fuck with it then-"_

"_Then you could have more chakra at your disposal!" Kyuubi snapped at him. "Even I'm not cruel enough to leave a helpless kit without a parent. No, what we'll do is alter the seal slightly to better allow my chakra to get into your system."_

_Naruto stared blankly for a moment before asking, "Why? It seems to be working just fine."_

"_For what I want to teach you, you're going to need more of my chakra in order to keep it from backfiring. Humans generally aren't allowed to use what I want to teach you."_

"_Which is?"_

"_Demonic seals."_

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Poke. Poke. Poke.

"Stop poking my forehead."

Hisoka stared at Neji for a moment or two before answering, "Ten-Ten's here. She looks kinda scared so I made her some tea and gave her San to hold onto while I got you."

Neji slowly got up and sighed softly as he rubbed his forehead. He didn't bother wearing his headband at home and he had the feeling that even if he had, the girl would have hidden it somewhere just to keep him around. He didn't know why she was suddenly being so clingy and any attempts to find out from Naruto's other friends proved useless.

He stared at the girl and saw that she was wearing one of Naruto's jackets, clearly taking comfort. "Neji… Daddy's coming home soon, right?" Hisoka asked softly. "I like being here but I miss him."

"Yeah. He'll be home soon."

"Okay."

There was still doubt in her eyes and as Neji felt her hold his hand while they went out to where Ten-Ten was waiting, Neji offered a small smile. "Hi-chan, can you go to your room and play so Neji-kun and I can talk?" Ten-Ten questioned.

"M'kay. You wanna keep San until you're done? It's okay with me."

"Sure, honey. Thank you."

Smiling brightly, the girl skipped out of the room humming a lullaby. "Are you okay? Hisoka said you looked afraid." Neji asked as he sat down.

Ten-Ten forced a smile before answering as she fidgeted with San, "Well, I'm a little nervous but scared works okay too."

"What's wrong?"

Ten-Ten took a deep breath before answering, "I'm pregnant."

The world seemed to freeze as Neji stared at her, trying to understand those two life-altering words. "Pregnant?" Neji whispered in shock.

"Yeah, and you're the father."

"You're certain? I mean, you're absolutely positive that you're pregnant?"

He was never so grateful that Hisoka was out of the room or else he would have had to answer a few questions about where babies came from. Then again he was fairly certain that the girl was quietly listening so he'd need to keep his head about the whole thing. "I'm absolutely positive and I'm due for my first check up next week. I'd like it if you could be there." Ten-Ten answered.

Neji nodded before answering, "I love you."

The sound of somebody moving from the hallway told them that Hisoka was indeed watching and that Neji would have some questions to answer. "I love you too. You're not upset?" Ten-Ten asked.

"It makes two to make a baby and I'm going to do everything right. I swear it."

"So what're we going to do?"

"Well, I'd like for you to marry me for one then we'll take things one day at a time."

His arms wrapped around the woman's waist as she hugged him tightly. "You're taking this a lot better than what I thought you would." Ten-Ten teased softly as she lightly pecked his nose.

While it was tempting to give in to the temptation just to surrender completely to her, Neji knew he couldn't. At least not while Hisoka was conscious or in the house anyway. The poor girl was already scarred enough for life and he didn't need to add on to it. "We can't do anything now." Neji reminded the woman. "I love you though."

Softly kissing each other, Ten-Ten moved away from Neji and placed San back down on the couch. "I should get going. This pregnancy thing isn't nearly as easy as guys seem to think it is." Ten-Ten told him with a teasing look. "You know cause I'm going to be the one carrying around the baby and needing to eat right."

Neji escorted the woman to the door and offered her a small smile. "I'll see you later then. Thanks for telling me." Neji told her.

"You're the dad and you needed to know. Talk to you later."

Smiling softly, Ten-Ten left the house feeling considerably better. "You might as well come out now, Hisoka." Neji said with a sigh.

Hisoka slowly came out of her hiding spot and stared at him for a few moments. "You're going to be a daddy like my daddy?" Hisoka asked as Neji picked her up.

"Yes. Do you have any other questions?" Gods, please don't let her start asking where babies came from.

The girl stared blankly for a moment before answering, "No. You and Ten-Ten hugged and now you have a baby coming. Kankuro already told me that mommies and daddies have a special hug that makes babies."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. He also said that there are different kind of hugs. There's the good hugs that mommies and daddies give their kids and hugs that two people give each other just for fun."

Feeling like he had just narrowly escaped some kind of embarrassing talk, Neji breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's go to the library. You're running low on books." Neji sighed as he put the girl down.

With a laugh, Hisoka began spinning before running to the door causing the Hyuuga to groan when she crashed into it. He didn't know if the Bijuu chakra healed the girl's injuries but he prayed that she never killed as many brain cells as her father had over the years. Konoha just couldn't handle another demon charged idiot running around and expect to survive unscathed.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, I swear I didn't know that Neji was gonna be a dad and as long as no changes are really made during the time I'm on meds we should be good to go. Anyway, I'll see you guys again next week and hopefully life and illness won't get in the way! Read and review!<p> 


	43. Chapter 43

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! Woke up this morning and couldn't remember for the life of me what today was until I checked and it turned into a "Oh hey! It's Friday!" so here we go with this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty Three<p>

He didn't know how he had managed to get himself back to Konoha but he did know that everything hurt like hell and that he was in the hospital. _So how bad are the injuries still?_ Naruto thought.

"_Not nearly as bad as they were three days ago. Another two days and you'll be healed." _Kyuubi responded. _"The kit knows we're back in the village but I've made it clear that she needs to steer clear for a day or two. She's been pumping chakra to us trying to help heal us."_

_But I want to see my daughter!_ Naruto huffed in irritation before glancing out the window. "Finally you wake up, Gaki." Tsunade said with an amused smile as she entered the room. "I was beginning to wonder if we'd have to get Inoichi in here to poke through your head."

Naruto grinned slightly at Tsunade, trying to make his injuries seem unimportant. "My girl behaving herself?" Naruto questioned.

For a moment, the blonde could see irritation cross Tsunade's features. "I don't know what stories you've been telling her, Naruto, but you need to hold back on your prank stories. She painted the Hokage Monument then proceeded to shout, "I'm a booger!" while hanging from Yondaime's nose." Tsunade told him.

Naruto started laughing at his daughter's antics, praying that somebody had actually recorded that one. While that was perhaps one of his favorite and most epic pranks he had ever pulled, he had the feeling that his daughter was working on out-pranking him. Gods he loved that girl and was looking forward to polishing up her techniques. "I'm not teaching her half the stuff I know." Naruto laughed. "So you can rest easy, Baa-chan."

Tsunade looked irritated for a moment before answering, "If I tell you what she did to ANBU the _one day_ Neji brought her with him, am I safe in assuming that you'll find it hilarious?"

"Possibly. What'd she do?"

"Hid the masks and by the time they were all found, they were all painted neon colors."

Impressive but maybe he should consider telling his daughter that she needed to back off. Pissing off ANBU wasn't a smart idea even if it was possible to outrun them. Harder than hell, but still possible. "That's mild compared to what I've done." Naruto chuckled. "But I'll tell her to back off on pranking ANBU."

That wasn't exactly what she wanted but Tsunade supposed that was about as much as she was going to get with Naruto. "Good. Now let's take a look at your injuries." Tsunade sighed as she began inspecting the blonde. "Why hadn't the Kyuubi healed your injuries already?"

"I don't know. We fought against Madara Uchiha."

"'We' as you and the Kyuubi?" "No. Sasuke and me."

Tsunade listened as Naruto told her everything that had happened that he could consciously remember. Apparently the Kyuubi had its own bone to pick with Madara Uchiha and it had been a fight between demon and human for control. When the blonde was done, Tsunade wondered just what exactly Sasuke was playing at. "Well, in a couple days you should be good enough to go home. Do you want Hisoka to be brought here?"

"Meh, better wait a day. I know she's gonna get hyper about it and I wanna see her again but we'd better hold off a day."

"_Smart choice. Two days and she'll practically tear the hospital apart just to get in here. At least tomorrow she'll be excited but not to the point where damage will be done."_ Naruto ignored the fox's comment in favor of studying the look of surprise on Tsunade's face.

"Don't you want to see your daughter immediately?" Tsunade asked with surprise.

"Of course I do! I just want to figure out how I'm gonna tell her that Uchiha Madara's dead."

Tsunade nodded in understanding knowing that the blonde would probably feel a little a bit worried about explaining that aspect of a shinobi's life. "I'll let Neji know then." Tsunade told him. "I'm glad you're safe, Naruto. Your injuries look like they're healing fairly well so in a couple days you should be able to go home."

Sighing softly when Tsunade left the room, Naruto stared out the window. He didn't know why, but he had the feeling that Gaara would need to have a head's up about Hisoka's fascination with messing with Kage monuments. While he was at it, he thought he'd better respond to Akina's letter and let her know that he was home safe and sound.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He was beyond exhausted and it wasn't even lunch yet.

Neji watched warily as Hisoka played on the living room floor with her doll and San, clearly enthralled with her game. He had spent a good two hours chasing after the girl around the Hyuuga compound, finally catching her just as she was about to run headfirst into his uncle. Naturally Neji had apologized but had felt terror when the girl simply stared before sticking her tongue out at Hiashi.

He had barely managed to grab her again before she took off running, sighing when she began laughing when he held her upside down by her ankle. Hiashi had simply looked amused before commenting, "You're too much like your grandmother. Uchiha Fugaku would be turning in his grave if he knew your grandmother's spirit lived on in you."

Almost immediately Hisoka had stopped and twisted so she could watch as Hiashi walked way. It had been quiet ever since but Neji could almost hear the questions that were burning in the girl. "Neji?" Hisoka questioned softly.

"Hmm?"

"Was Grandma Kushina a lot like me?"

"I don't know. I've never met her."

Hisoka frowned softly before answering, "What's it mean if someone's turning in their grave? Dead people don't move unless someone makes them. Kabuto made dead people walk around but only after the snake bastard showed him how."

Now he was grateful Naruto didn't have her at the moment. "It's a saying that's used if something happens that someone that's passed on won't like." Neji responded.

"Oh."

He watched as she returned to her game, jumping when he heard somebody knock on the door. "Lady Hokage." Neji said with surprise. "Come in."

Tsunade thanked the young man before entering the house, watching as Hisoka continued her game. "Hi, Granny Tsunade. I'm being good today." Hisoka told the older woman, not looking up from her game.

"That's good. I just got done checking your father's injuries and thought I'd stop by to let you know how he's doing."

Hisoka nodded slightly, finally putting her doll and San down to stare at the woman. "Kyuu-chan said I need to stay away from the hospital for a day or two." Hisoka reported.

"Your father said you can visit him tomorrow. He's feeling a lot better than when was first brought in."

"Okay." Gray eyes focused on Neji. "Can we see Daddy tomorrow, Neji?"

Neji nodded slightly before looking at Tsunade. "I take it that Naruto's injuries weren't as severe as I was led to believe." Neji said patiently.

She didn't want to say in front of the girl but as Tsunade glanced at Hisoka, the girl's eyes said plainly she already knew how bad they were. "If it had been anybody else," Tsunade sighed, "a funeral would be planned and arrangements would be made."

"I'm going to go lay down, Neji. Kyuu-chan needs more chakra and it's making me tired." Hisoka told the Hyuuga. "Thank you for telling me, Granny Tsunade."

They watched as the girl picked up her toys before retreating to her room. After Tsunade had left, Neji slipped back to the girl's room to check on her. A small smile spread across his lips as he watched the girl sleep curled up in the fetal position with her thumb in her mouth. Silently activating his Byakuugan, Neji watched as the demonic chakra moved throughout her entire system with small amounts leaving her body. He'd have to grab those scrolls later so she could replenish her supply of chakra but for now he'd let her sleep. "Pleasant dreams, little one." Neji told her softly.

Keeping an eye on her, the Hyuuga quietly closed the door hoping that the girl would sleep long enough for him to take a nap.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Daddy!"

Naruto laughed as he hugged his daughter, feeling her lips pressing against his cheeks. "There's my girl! Gods, you've grown up so much!" Naruto exclaimed with a laugh. "You sure I've only been gone a couple weeks?"

Hisoka giggled as Naruto began tickling her before he hugged her tightly. "I missed you." Hisoka told him before looking confused. "Daddy, is something wrong? Daddy?"

Naruto closed his eyes tightly as he hugged his daughter, just wanting to hold her. He tried to keep his entire demeanor calm but was unable to stop a couple of tears from falling. "It's okay, Daddy. Whatever happened, it's okay. Please don't cry." Her voice was growing softer as she hugged her father back before wiping his tears away. "Daddy, why are you crying? It's okay. I'm not mad cause you got hurt. It happens, right? That's what happens sometimes."

He was grateful that everybody had chosen to let the two catch up in private, although he was furious at himself for not being able to hold back his feelings. "I'm sorry, honey. You're right. It's okay." Naruto forced a smile.

"You can keep hugging me if you want to."

He laughed softly as he hugged his daughter again, softly breathing in her soft scent. "I got something to tell you that might make you a little happy." Naruto told her.

"What? Is Akina-chan and Kenji-kun coming to visit?"

"No, but they can if it's okay with everybody."

"I'd like that. So what is it then?"

Naruto adjusted his daughter on his lap before answering, "Do you remember that Uchiha Madara guy?"

Slowly Hisoka nodded. "I don't like him. He hurt the Bijuu." Hisoka reported. "He even killed the people that were protecting them."

"Well, I ran into him and Sasuke during my mission and we got into it. Madara's dead."

She knew what 'dead' was seeing as it was impossible _not_ to know what it was when being kept prisoner by Orochimaru. "You're sure? He can't hurt anybody again?" Hisoka asked. "What about Sasuke-teme? What'll happen with him? Did he die too?"

"Sorry, honey, but he got away and I was too hurt to hunt him down."

He half expected her to start crying at the news that Sasuke was still out there somewhere but he wasn't expecting her to suddenly say, "It's okay."

Blue eyes stared in surprise at the girl before softening. "So, little girl, I heard this interesting story about you redecorating the Hokage Monument." Naruto said with a stern look.

Hisoka fidgeted slightly before answering, "Granny Tsunade already yelled at me for an hour straight."

Suddenly Naruto grinned before answering, "I'm not gonna yell at you. I just wanna know how you got everything thrown together and decorated it before people noticed."

Giving him that famous Uzumaki grin, Hisoka began explaining in great detail every step of her decorating process. As Naruto listened to his daughter's explanation, he knew for absolute certain he'd need to give Gaara a heads up.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: It's hard to go without having a kid trying to comfort their parent when they seesense that their parent's upset about something. While Naruto isn't upset over what happened with Madara, he understandably would be upset over the knowledge that Sasuke's still running around. Anyway, a familiar enemy will return and I'm already bracing myself for the flames that may come around with next week's chapter. Anyway, read and review!


	44. Chapter 44

lostmoonchild: Konbanwa! Thanks for the reviews, everybody. I would have updated earlier (okay, Friday since it's Saturday now) but I kept getting that "cannot display webpage" notice everytime I tried to log in so yeah. Updating yesterday just didn't happen. So here's this week's chapter and hopefully nobody will flame me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

_**CHAPTER WARNING: CONTAINS MENTIONS OF RAPE SO PLEASE DON'T FLAME ME SAYING I DIDN'T WARN**_ **_ANYBODY._**

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><p>Chapter Forty Four<p>

When bored and in need for a fun game to play, demon tag was always the best way to get rid of extra demonic chakra and work on control. It also encouraged stealth, tracking, and planning possible attacks as well as escapes. Today's lesson to be mixed in the game, Naruto decided as he watched his daughter run up a tree to stand upside down on the tree branch uncaring that she wore a skirt, would be concealing chakra. "Hey, Hi-Hi! C'mere a minute." Naruto called.

The girl giggled as she scrambled down the tree and jumped into her father's arms. "What're we gonna play?" Hisoka questioned eagerly.

"Demon tag. This time, we're going to hide our chakra."

Hisoka stared blankly for a moment before answering, "But then I won't be able to find you."

"That's kind of the point, honey. What we're going to do is hide our chakra but we'll be able to practice everything else that we had brought into the game before. There'll be missions, honey, where your target isn't a shinobi which means no chakra."

"Oh. Did you have that before?"

"Not telling."

Hisoka stuck out her tongue before grinning at her father. He had been back for a week and everybody seemed to be curious about what would happen next with Sasuke. While Naruto knew that his daughter was worried about it, he wasn't willing to have a repeat. After showing her how to hide her chakra, Naruto grinned and began counting to ten as he watched his daughter run into the bushes looking for a place to hide and plan her attacks.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He remembered that child from Orochimaru's lair and he was bothered by the reputation she was gaining despite not being a kunoichi. Seven of Cloud's shinobi landed in the hospital with two Jinchuuriki also being landed in the same hospital… this child was growing too dangerous.

A smile spread across the man's face as he watched the child in question scrambling with a pleased look on her face. "Demon tag. Demon tag. Daddy and Kyuu-chan are playing tag with Hi-Hi-chan." Hisoka sang happily.

The girl suddenly stopped, her smile fading away to nothing as she cautiously looked around. She stepped back as a bad feeling suddenly grew within her, reminding her of the days when Orochimaru would watch her. "Hello, little one." A voice said smoothly. "You've grown up quite a bit, haven't you?"

Hisoka stiffened in fear, her eyes wide as she trembled violently. Slowly she turned around and felt her heart freeze when she stared into familiar eyes. "No. Daddy said you were dead!" Hisoka whimpered as she stepped back. "My daddy said Sasuke-teme killed you."

Kabuto smiled before answering, "Sasuke killed Lord Orochimaru and I intended to overcome Lord Orochimaru's strength so that I may kill Sasuke."

No, this wasn't Kabuto. She remembered what he looked like! This was some kind of crossover between Kabuto and Orochimaru! "No. No. No." Hisoka whimpered in fear.

A scream left her lips when a white snake wrapped around her, picking her up off the ground and moving her so she was inches away from Kabuto. "Such a beautiful girl." Kabuto murmured as he brushed his fingers over her cheeks.

She couldn't breathe! As the tears began to fall down her now pale cheeks, Hisoka felt a burning throughout her entire body as she retreated into the safety of her mind.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He felt the dark intent coming from the same direction as his daughter's chakra and he had wasted no time trying to get to her. Naruto's eyes bled crimson as he recognized the chakra signature and picked up the pace. If that bastard even touched his daughter he was going to make the bastard pay dearly.

The blonde suddenly jerked to the side when he felt a flare of demonic chakra, his heart freezing in horror at the knowledge of what it meant. Praying that he at least got to his daughter before anybody else did, Naruto began running as fast as he could without calling Kyuubi's chakra forth. _Gods please don't let what I think happened happen. Please, please._ Naruto prayed desperately.

He skidded to a stop when he saw his daughter pressed against a tree, her irises showing specks of crimson. His eyes immediately fell on the blood that dribbled down her legs, his mind knowing and yet refusing to acknowledge what that meant. "Naruto!" A voice shouted.

Naruto glanced to the side before spotting the mangled body of a man in a maroon cloak, seeing a dead white snake torn in half lying nearby. "Stay away from Hisoka a minute!" Naruto told Kiba, knowing the Inuzuka could smell the blood.

"God, Naruto…" Kiba's dark eyes told the Jinchuuriki exactly what else he could smell. "Who-"

"Kabuto." Naruto replied icily as he cautiously moved towards his daughter. "Hi-Hi? Hisoka, look at me."

Hisoka's breaths came in short gasps as she forced herself to look at him, anger suddenly crossing her soft features. "You lied!" Hisoka screamed at him. "You said Sasuke-teme killed him! You said no one would hurt me no more! You weren't here and he hurt me! I hate you!"

Demonic chakra surrounded the girl, dark lines surrounding her eyes as her teeth and nails elongated. "Get out of the way!" Naruto shouted to Kiba and Akamaru, realizing that others were beginning to arrive. "Don't attack her or she'll attack back!"

Naruto dodged his daughter's attacks, wrapping himself in Kyuubi's chakra to help protect himself. Everything told him that she was hurt and scared and needed comfort but right now he needed to get her away from the killing intent that surrounded her. "_I hate you!_" Hisoka screeched at him, throwing a fireball at her father.

The blonde dodged again, keep his now crimson eyes focused on hers. "If I could keep you locked up so you never got hurt again, I'd happily do it." Naruto shouted back at her. "I know you're hurting and I know you're scared!"

"I hate you! You let him hurt me!"

"If I had known he was in the area, I would have killed him before he touched you!"

Hisoka stopped and clenched her fists together as the tears began spilling out from her eyes. Naruto cautiously advanced towards his daughter and knelt down, pulling her into a tight hug. "It hurt. It hurts bad." Hisoka sobbed as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck. "He tore something, I could feel it. I hate you. You weren't here."

"I know, honey. I hate myself too."

Naruto flinched when he heard his daughter's scream, immediately spinning around to see the source of her fear only to see Kakashi with both eyes uncovered and Sharingan spinning. Without saying a word, the Copy-nin covered his left eye again before nodding slightly just as he vanished in a flurry of leaves.

Ever mindful of his daughter's injury, Naruto held her as they vanished in a flurry of leaves as well, arriving in the quiet solitude of their apartment. As he listened to his daughter's "I hate you" whispers, Naruto carefully tended to her wounds wondering if her wounds truly could heal this time or if she would be forever scarred.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"You should have taken her to the hospital!" Tsunade scolded the blonde, her eyes flashing with irritation. "I've got the council screaming at me because she was hurt and didn't get taken to the hospital!"

"The less people the easier it would be to check her over!" Naruto snapped back before slumping into the couch. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Tsunade's eyes softened as she looked at the defeated blonde, seeing that he truly did feel guilty for not being there. "There was tearing but nothing that I couldn't take care of." Tsunade sat down in the chair and looked at him. "She's scared and hurt, Naruto. I don't think I need to tell you that."

"I know. She hates me now cause I wasn't there to stop him."

"Again, she's hurt and scared. Children tend to say things like that when they're upset. They can't rationalize everything."

Naruto ran his fingers through his hair before answering, "I still feel like the world's worst dad."

"You should also be the proudest. Your little girl took out a missing-nin and she's not even out of the academy." Tsunade gave him a pointed look. "Just be the one she can cry to, Naruto. You're her father and fathers are the guys that are supposed to make their girls see that not all guys are jackasses. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now get your ass in there and comfort your daughter. I've got a council to shut up. For the next few days though I want you to feed her only _gentle_ foods like soup or applesauce. Her stomach took a beating too."

Naruto didn't move as Tsunade left the apartment, his eyes dark as he thought. Eventually he pushed himself up and ventured to his daughter's room, hesitating a moment before knocking. "Hey, Hi-Hi? Can I come in?" Naruto asked softly as he slowly opened the door.

"You weren't there." Hisoka accused from beneath her blankets.

The blonde entered the room and sat down on the bed, watching the lump that was his daughter shift. "I know, baby." Naruto told her softly. "I feel like a complete fuck up cause I wasn't there to protect you."

"Is he dead? I don't remember." Hisoka peeked out from beneath the blanket to watch him carefully.

"Yeah."

"I did the bad thing again, didn't I?"

Naruto offered a small smile before answering, "It's not a bad thing when you're defending yourself. I'm actually proud of you right now."

"Why?"

"Because you're only six and you kicked the ass of a guy that needed his ass kicked. I bet Grandma Kushina and Grandpa Minato are going "That's my granddaughter right there!" right now to everybody that'll listen. I'll even bet that Momma's pretty proud of you right now."

Hisoka huffed as she threw her blanket back over her head before answering, "Yeah right. You're probably lying."

Naruto sighed softly before answering, "I know you're pissed off at me and I don't blame you any. That's why I'm gonna let you scream every single thing you've got bottled up."

"Everything?"

"Yep."

"Even if there's bad words?" She peeked out from under the blanket again and stared at him.

"Even if there's bad words. Honey, I don't want you to think that I don't want to hear what you think. I want you to be able to talk to me about whatever's bothering you without you feeling like I don't care."

Hisoka bit her lip as she slowly slipped out from the blanket and sat on her father's lap. "I'm sorry I said I hated you. I don't really." Hisoka told him.

"I know, baby. Sometimes we say stuff we don't mean when we're hurt or angry. Hell, we even say stuff we don't mean when we're scared."

Hisoka nestled against him as Naruto hugged her tightly. "Daddy?" Hisoka asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"Did I really kill him? I don't remember. I just remember seeing you and then I saw Kakashi. One of his eyes was bad."

Naruto kissed her forehead before murmuring, "We'll let Kakashi explain that one to you when you're ready to hear it. Right now we're gonna work on healing up cause let me tell you something. You pack a punch when you go all demon."

Giggling softly as he tickled her stomach, Hisoka smiled brightly at her father. His eyes told her that he understood and that no matter what happened, he would always be there to make things better. He promised.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: *prepares for incoming projectiles* Don't kill me please! I'm already having a bit of health problems and I'm fairly certain this chapter's going to be a hazard to my health. I could blame my muse for having Hisoka say "I hate you. You weren't there." to the point it was driving me bonkers cause nothing else I tried to come up with could even warrant that much anger and hurt. *sighs* The muse is cruel beyond all definition. Anyway, read and review!<p> 


	45. Chapter 45

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! This chapter I actually did like a bit and couldn't help but grin a little at "Kakashi-Ji-Ji" whenever it popped up. Now somebody's coming back (nothing bad will happen, I promise) so the next few chapters are gonna focus a bit less on Hisoka and more on the cannon characters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty Five<p>

They all knew she was still terrified and from how carefully she was moving, she was still sore. Sakura felt the tears gathering again as she watched Hisoka cling to Naruto while watching Kakashi with a look that clearly said she was trying to determine if he was a member of the Uchiha clan or if he had simply gotten caught up in an experiment. From how she'd slowly inch towards him, she was leaning more towards the latter.

Finally Hisoka crawled onto Kakashi's lap and gave him a bright smile. "You have a bad eye." Hisoka said with a suddenly serious expression. "How come?"

He really shouldn't have been surprised that the girl associated the Sharingan as a "bad eye" although it was amusing to see how serious she could make herself look. "It's a long story." Kakashi told her with an amused look. He couldn't help it that it was funny how she was trying to be serious.

Hisoka huffed slightly before moving Kakashi's forehead protector out of the way and gently prying his eye open. She felt fear curling around in the pit of her stomach as she stared at the crimson orb before taking a deep breath. This was Kakashi-Ji-Ji. He kept his eye covered so she wouldn't be scared of him. That eye was how come everybody called him the Copycat ninja. "It don't hurt." Hisoka said finally.

"No."

"But you're not Uchiha."

"Nope." Kakashi smiled softly as he looked at her. "Did you ever hear about the Third Great Shinobi War?"

Slowly Hisoka nodded. "Lots of people died cause there weren't medics in every team. That's why Granny Tsunade made a rule that every team needs one medic." Hisoka looked confused. "Why's that important?"

Kakashi sighed softly before answering, "When I was first promoted to Jounin, there was a boy on my squad named Uchiha Obito. He was constantly late and had the stupidest excuses."

_That explains so much._ Naruto and Sakura thought at the same time. "Like you?" Hisoka questioned.

Kakashi bit back a laugh before answering, "Yes. Well, we had been given a mission and during that mission, I got hurt and lost my eye. Obito ended up losing his life and before he died, he had our teammate give me his eye."

Hisoka's fingers lightly traced over the scar, her eyes showing concern. "How come everybody I know had someone I don't like on their team?" Hisoka asked in frustration.

"That's nothing. Your grandma's best friend was Sasuke's mother."

Naruto grinned slightly at the look on his daughter's face before answering, "You just might have to get over your dislike of the Uchiha family, Hi-Hi. Even Grandma Kushina's best friend was an Uchiha."

Hisoka stuck her tongue out before looking serious. "Your eye isn't bad." Hisoka reported. "Only Sasuke-teme's eyes are bad."

Someday he'd tell her that he was the one to teach Sasuke how to perform Chidori but for now he'd let her grow more accustomed to his Sharingan eye. Kakashi lightly mussed up the girl's hair as he covered his eye again not wanting to push the child farther than what she could handle. "You okay now?" Kakashi questioned patiently.

"I don't think so but I know how we can all make it okay."

Curiosity flashed on their faces. "Oh? How?" Kakashi asked lightly.

"We can get ice cream and watch a funny movie. Then maybe after we can get some ramen."

A squeal of laughter left Hisoka's lips as Naruto scooped her into his arms and spun around with her. It really was no wonder why the girl loved spinning so much and as they watched the girl dizzily stumble, they could see that some kind of peace had been given and that while one wound had been torn open, another had been able to begin healing.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Naruto groaned as he sleepily went to the front door, praying that whichever idiot was at the door had a damn good reason for waking him up. "Okay, okay! I'm here!" Naruto said as he opened the door and saw Sakura's grim face. "Sakura? What happened?"

Tears poured down Sakura's face as Naruto led her into the apartment, trying to keep from crying. "Sasuke's back. ANBU just brought him into Tsunade's office." Sakura told him.

Naruto fell backwards onto the couch in shock. His blue eyes showed disbelief and stared at Sakura in shock before looking back towards the bedrooms. _"You need to pack some clothes for her and get our precious out of here."_ Kyuubi told him. _"Send a letter to let Gaara know it's time."_

"How soon-"

"Immediately."

Naruto nodded in understanding as he immediately grabbed an outfit from the laundry basket that lie next to the couch. His heart raced as he grabbed the small backpack from the hall closet and began packing up some clothes and his daughter's hairbrush as well as toothbrush. "Mmm… Daddy?" Hisoka murmured sleepily as Naruto helped her stand up. "What's going on?"

"It's okay, honey. We need to go talk to Granny Tsunade and those old bastards then you're gonna go visit Gaara for a little while."

Hisoka frowned as she struggled to wake up more before murmuring, "Visit Gaara? Why? Did I do something bad?"

"No, honey. Something just came up and once you're done talking to Granny Tsunade you get to go visit your godfather for a little while. You'll even get to see Kenji and Nii-san."

Something was going on and whatever it was, it was something possibly bad. She couldn't remember the last time Naruto had tried to dress her as quickly. "I'm tired." Hisoka told him.

"I know, honey. Auntie Sakura's in the living room waiting for us so we need to hurry."

Hisoka grabbed San and held the stuffed toy close as Naruto hurried to his room to get dressed. "What happened, Kyuu-chan?" Hisoka asked softly.

"_It's okay, precious. We'll keep you safe."_ Kyuubi responded patiently.

"From what?"

"_Don't worry about it."_

Hisoka wrapped her arms and legs around Naruto as he picked her back up, her sleepy eyes focusing on Sakura's tearstained face. "So what happened? How'd they catch him?" Naruto demanded as they flitted through the abandoned streets.

"Apparently he walked right up to ANBU."

ANBU caught someone and Sakura was crying? Did somebody get hurt? Hisoka shifted slightly as she watched a couple of ANBU members following them. "Daddy, there's ANBU." Her eyes focused on one of the masks. "How come they're following in the open?"

She remembered Kakashi telling her once that ANBU often watched their targets from the shadows and that if they were ever watching from the open, to never openly show concern. It was always a smart idea to watch them but to never let them realize that you know they were watching. Right now she didn't think it mattered any since they were all a fairly decent distance away from them. "Something happened earlier." Naruto responded.

"I was sleeping!"

"I know, baby. Just calm down." Naruto set her down when they arrived, taking the time to straighten out her shirt.

It was possibly her favorite one and Naruto knew it. Dark brown in color with long sleeves that flowed over his daughter's lower arms and hands, it was clearly the most comfortable one she had. While it wouldn't be good for her to wear in the desert during the daytime, he had a feeling that whoever was taking Hisoka to Suna would be traveling at night.

Naruto brushed Hisoka's dark hair away from her eyes, smiling softly when his eyes fell on the strands of multi-colored hair. They blended together and into the ebony strands creating an illusion that the light played with her colors. He didn't know what in the world he had done to deserve such a beautiful daughter but he knew he'd be damned if he gave her up forever.

Taking a deep breath and giving his daughter a comforting look, Naruto led the child into Tsunade's office praying that they could get through this before the night was done.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"I don't want to leave."

Naruto felt his heart clench painfully in his chest as he looked at his daughter, seeing her arms wrapped around Shikamaru's neck as she stared at him with pleading eyes. He didn't want her to leave either but it was going to be for her own good. He was going to more than likely get the living hell beaten out of him by the few that blamed him for Sasuke's defection and he didn't want to chance his daughter meeting the same fate. "I know. That's why Shika-kun and Anko-chan are going to be going with you." Naruto took a note out of his pocket. "I want you to give this to Gaara. Tell him it's from Konoha's future Hokage."

Hisoka made a face as she took the letter, her gray eyes showing amusement and confusion. "We're playing mission?" Hisoka questioned.

"Yep. Rules are the same as before. No peeking and no matter what, it needs to get delivered."

"M'kay."

Naruto gave Shikamaru a look that told the Nara exactly what needed to be done. "Troublesome Uchiha." Shikamaru sighed. "Don't worry, we'll deliver Hi-chan to Lord Kazekage himself."

Feeling comforted, Naruto kissed his daughter's forehead and watched as the three vanished into the night. Even though he could no longer see her, Naruto could still feel his daughter's eyes staring back at him. _Mishima, watch over our daughter. She needs it more than ever now._ Naruto thought before flitting back to Tsunade's office where he knew that hell would truly break loose within an hour.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Suna, brace yourself! Okay, I admit it was heartwrenching to have Hisoka leave Konoha for Suna for a while but I couldn't see Naruto wanting to keep his daughter in Konoha when shit was about to hit the fan. I mean, Naruto's <em>attempting<em> to be a responsible parent (how well he's managing, I'm not entirely positive) and I'd say that trying to keep his kid away from both Sasuke and any of Sasuke's supporters in Konoha is responsible. So here's there's this week's chapter, read and review!


	46. Chapter 46

lostmoonchild: Ohayo! Thanks for the reviews! Well, it's four in the morning here and this poor authoress sadly has a bad case of insomnia. Bad for me but good for you guys since you get a new chapter this week and I can work on next week's chapters. One of the reviews made me grin since the person was actually pretty close and didn't realize it (I was gonna send you a message telling you that you were close but ultimately decided not to as a surprise) so let's get the chapter started!

_**Chapter Warning: Lemon at end of chapter!**_

__Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty Six<p>

Sasuke didn't care if he was yelled at for his defection although he was amused to see how furious the blonde Hokage had been when he decided to "march right back to Konoha" acting as if he had done nothing wrong. He didn't care that he had sided with a missing-nin or had even taken part in several morally wrong experiments and acts. All he cared about now was saving his own skin.

When he felt that child's chakra approaching, he knew he was in deep shit. While he wasn't entirely sure how many of the council members had kids, he was fairly certain they all had at least one child in their lives. Fear shuddered through his body as he thought about a child signing his death warrant, his mind's eye seeing those gentle gray eyes watching every so carefully. Would she beg for his death or would she want to see her father's pleasure at his survival?

The raven looked up when he heard a door open, his dark eyes resting on the blonde. "Dobe." Sasuke said simply as he watched Naruto.

"I don't know what happened to the boy that was once like a brother to me." Naruto said stiffly. "I just know that I don't like the bastard that I see right now."

"Hn. You act like I give a damn."

Sasuke stiffened slightly when a burst of red chakra shot from the blonde, barely missing the raven's head. "I know you don't and I'm going to make one thing painfully clear. I will _not_ forgive you for what you've done to my daughter. If they let you off, I will kill you the first time you go near my daughter and if you go near my house when she's in Konoha then I swear I'll string you up by your intestines." Red bled into the blonde's blue eyes, showing that he was being dead serious.

"You know what that brat is, what she can do, and you don't care. Don't you know what in the hell they've done since they were first discovered?"

"You don't fucking blame a child for what their family did! I don't give a damn how terrible they were! Hisoka is _innocent_!" Naruto shouted at him. "Who listened to her screams when she had a nightmare? Who comforted her when she cried, Sasuke? Did you know that we had to put two seals on her to lock away memories? God damn it, Sasuke! Hisoka was almost normal!"

"She could easily remove the Bijuu from everybody and destroy everything around her on a whim!"

"You want to go on about what she can do? She's almost like you, Sasuke, except it was her mother that saved her ass instead of a brother! You weren't blamed for your family's action so what in the hell gives you the right to accuse her of something her family did? Her mother hated what they had done and she, like Itachi, sacrificed everything to save the person they loved most!"

Irritation crossed his features as Sasuke glared at the blonde. How dare the blonde moron compare him and Hisoka as well as Hisoka's mother to Itachi? They were nothing alike! "That child is anything but normal." Sasuke hissed. "She is a demon."

"She's my daughter!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke. "You can't give me that shit that you didn't at least suspect it, Sasuke! Even when she's just watching someone, people can see my features in her!"

He didn't know why, but it was worse getting yelled at by Naruto than by anybody else. The child had reminded him of Naruto and he now he wasn't entirely sure what to tell himself. Did he say that he just wanted to keep the child to himself or could he say that he wanted to kill her for the sole reason of reminding him of Naruto? "You act like I care. That child will one day grow weary of playing by the rules that were set up for her alone to follow." Sasuke told him. "She'll call the Bijuu and remove them from whoever has them. Then she'll attack and destroy everybody."

Naruto snorted in disgust before answering, "Just so you know, teme, when she was in there telling the council your part in her kidnapping and abuse, she started crying and for reasons I don't understand, she begged for you to be allowed to live. She wants you dead more than you'll ever know and I'll ever be able to understand, but she still begged for them to consider letting you live."

Sasuke watched as the blonde left the room, anger filling him. It was one thing if someone his age or older had asked that his life be spared but to possibly owe his life to a child was unforgivable! "_I think you may as well suck it up cause if that girl's got everybody wrapped as tightly around her fingers as it seems, you're going to live until somebody beats you to death."_ A voice in his head commented lightly. _"In other words, you just got fucked by a brat."_

Growling softly in irritation, Sasuke looked out the barred window almost praying that he'd be killed. At least then he wouldn't have to admit that a snot-nosed brat saved his life or even live with the knowledge. Naturally knowing how sadistic pissed off women could be, Sasuke had the feeling that Tsunade was going to go with Hisoka's plea in favor of pissing him off. _Great,_ he thought as he leaned against the wall, _a brat that was barely out of diapers and encouraged by a senile old woman had decided his fate._

One of the gods must have hated him immensely; there was no other explanation. Forcing himself to calm down again, Sasuke began meditating in an attempt to forget all that he had surrendered to.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Sai didn't know why exactly he felt threatened when he knew for certain that Sakura was more eager to murder Sasuke than fuck him. Perhaps it was because he knew of the pinkette's fascination and crush on the Uchiha that she claimed no longer existed. "Are you going to sulk for the rest of the night or are you going to go lie down with me?" Sakura asked softly as she softly walked into the living room.

"I'm working on something, hag." Sai responded patiently.

Sakura raised an eyebrow as she stared at the blank paper before sighing as she sat down next to Sai. "And my forehead suddenly shrank. What's going on in that brain of yours?" Sakura asked softly.

"Emo-sama's back in Konoha. I guess you'll be wanting to be with him now." Sai replied. "I don't… like it."

It was almost cute how he actually thought there was a problem. "Well, there's a problem with what you're thinking." Sakura said as she gently moved the raven's sketchbook from his lap.

"What?"

There was almost an amused look on her face as Sakura moved to straddle his lap, her arms resting lightly on his shoulders. Lightly pressing her nose against his, Sakura responded softly, "There's someone else that I want. He's rather artistic and doesn't know much about his emotions but that's what makes him so damn cute."

"Oh really?"

Sai raised an eyebrow as Sakura nodded softly. "You're the one I want, Sai." Sakura said softly. "I want you and only you."

The raven's hands moved to rest on the woman's hips as their lips met in a soft kiss that quickly began to reflect their need. Sakura breathed in sharply as she felt Sai pull her closer to him and melted against him as he slowly pushed his hips upwards towards her. "Sakura." Sai whispered as he stared at the pinkette.

Chills went through their bodies as they stared at each other before Sai slowly curled his fingers around the hem of Sakura's shirt and pulled up, watching with fascination as she twisted her body until she had slipped out of her shirt. His fingers lightly traced over her skin before helping her rid him of his shirt, the cool air sending shivers through his body. Was this really happening?

Without saying a word, Sai shifted so Sakura was lying on the couch with him lying over her. He was distantly reminded of one of Kakashi's books although he was fairly certain that Sakura wouldn't be pleased to know he had read about sex on a couch. Breathing in her soft scent, Sai slowly explored the exposed skin and listened to the soft gasps that left Sakura's lips when he licked or lightly bit a sensitive spot.

"Sai…"

Her voice sounded needy to her own ears and from the light bite on her breast, Sai was amused by it. She could feel herself growing more aroused as Sai began working on her pants, teasing her skin with talented hands she was almost certain only an artist could hold. She lifted her hips as he pulled her pants down and watched as he slowly began working on his own pants.

Their eyes met and burned with desire as Sai settled himself between the woman's legs. In theory he knew what to do but still he found himself hesitating. He closed his eyes as Sakura's soft hands cupped his cheeks, softly pulling him down to her. "Sakura-chan." Sai whispered.

"It's okay. You won't hurt me."

His heart raced as Sakura pressed her heated core against him before feeling her wrap her legs around his waist. He groaned softly as he was slowly enveloped in wet heat and stayed still wanting to keep from releasing into her so soon. If this was what heaven was like then he was looking forward to being there for all of eternity. For now, however, he'd concentrate on making his lover feel as good as she could.

Sakura arched against the raven as he slowly began moving in small shallow thrusts, her nails digging into his shoulders. A cry left her lips when he suddenly hit a sensitive spot within her and shoved her hips against his. "Again," she pleaded softly.

Groans left Sai's lips as he felt Sakura's nails biting into his skin as he repeatedly struck that spot, feeling Sakura's body writhe desperately against his. He listened to the broken variations of his name and claimed her lips in an attempt to quiet her down a little only to catch the small screams in his mouth. She was enjoying herself immensely if he was to go by the screams and writhing body, his eyes clenching as his movements became more erratic.

Sakura's breaths came out in soft pants as she felt the figurative knot tightening in her lower abdomen as she fought against her orgasm only to arch her back as her muscles tightened around the raven, a silent scream leaving her lips. White dots danced across her vision as she felt Sai's hips slam against her before feeling him filling her with his essence.

Reality came crashing down on them as they rested against each other, black orbs meeting green. Exhaustion showed in their eyes as the couple looked at each other but there was also satisfaction reflecting. "I believe I'm ready to go to bed now." Sai told her calmly.

"Good because sleeping on the couch is not my favorite thing to do." Sakura said softly.

"You didn't mind just a few moments ago."

"Having sex is different than sleeping."

Sai smiled softly as he carefully pulled out of her and stood calmly, completely unfazed by his nudity. With a soft sigh, Sakura took the raven's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet before smiling softly as he wrapped his arms around her. "Aishiteru." Sai told her.

For a moment her heart stopped beating and as Sakura stared at him, she could see the glimmer of truth within his normally void eyes. "Aishiteru." Sakura responded softly with a small kiss. "Aishiteru."

Suddenly feeling as if sleep wasn't about to come to either of them easily, the couple wandered back to the bedroom knowing that as soon as they got there another round would begin yet again.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I really don't know where the SaixSakura pairing started popping up in my stories but it's a pairing that I like personally. Somebody's probably going to be upset that Sakura's not running to Sasuke but while Sai has the emotional range of a rock, he at least isn't fixated on revenge 247. Besides, duck-butt's not being executed (oh how I wanted to kill him...) but he will serve a purpose later in the fic. Okay, time to run to the next story so read and review!


	47. Chapter 47

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! Yeah, the last part of the previous chapter was a bit of a filler but there had kind of been hints of Sakura and Sai starting up a relationship. I grin at what's coming up for Sasuke-teme and I hope you guys will too when I decide to post the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Forty Seven<p>

They looked so ragged that Gaara couldn't believe that they had actually traveled three days. Instead they looked as if they had gone further and as a result, traveled longer. "Daddy told me to give you this." Hisoka said as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "A good kunoichi doesn't peek."

She sounded so proud of herself that it was entertaining. From how Shikamaru and that snake-kunoichi were watching with worry and caution, it was safe to assume that he'd be tending to an unhappy child. "Thank you." Gaara told her as he took the paper. "We don't know how long you'll be staying in Suna but when it's time for you to return to Konoha, I'll send a response back with you."

"Hai!"

Gaara tucked the paper safely into his pocket before looking at the two worn adults. "We've set up accommodations for you both so you may spend a few days resting before you return to Konoha." Gaara responded.

"Arigato." Shikamaru said with a small nod. "We were determined to get Hisoka here as quickly as possible."

Hisoka crawled onto Gaara's lap and grinned as she put his hat over her head. "That's understandable." Gaara said calmly. "I'm grateful that my goddaughter's been delivered here safely."

Although he couldn't say that his goddaughter willingly let Anko and Shikamaru arrive safely. No matter though seeing as he could easily distract the girl while the two adults slept and recovered. "You'll stay here for a while, right?" Hisoka asked as she looked at Shikamaru with a questioning look.

"For a couple days."

She just knew that they were going to leave her in Suna and that they'd probably take off in the dead of night. A surge of anger filled the child as she stared at them before forcing herself to smile. "Okay! I'll have a letter to Daddy ready to go by then!" Hisoka said cheerfully.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow knowing full well that the girl wasn't pleased at all by having to stay in Suna. He just wasn't sure if she was putting on an act for Gaara or to make them think she was trying to be more mature about the whole situation. Something told him, however, that all hell would break loose the moment he and Anko took off back to Konoha.

Bowing slightly to the Kazekage and giving the girl a weary smile, Shikamaru turned and followed Anko out of the room. "I assume that finishing my work will be pointless now that you're here and stealing my hat." Gaara told the girl.

"Yep." Hisoka shifted and stared up at him with solemn eyes. "How come I hafta stay here? I'm not complaining but I wanna know cause Kyuu-chan's there and Ichi-kun's here and if I were gonna make some kind of attack, I'd take out the stronger one first."

Gaara wrapped his arms around the girl, taking comfort in the simple act and the love that radiated from the child. "It's just one of those things." Gaara told her as he removed his hat from her head. "Come on. Let's go pick up some of your milk and we'll go home."

Nodding slightly, Hisoka slipped from his lap and held his hand as they left the office. She didn't know how long she'd be in Suna but she knew for certain that as soon as things worked themselves out in Konoha and it was okay again, Naruto would come for her and they'd be able to be a happy family once again.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"This is your room. Shikamaru and Anko are just down the hall to the right." Gaara told the child a couple hours later.

Hisoka was silent as she looked around her new room, eyeing everything with caution. Stuff animals were piled up in one corner and a large, soft looking bed rested opposite of the toys. There was even a bookcase that held some children's books she was fairly certain she had already read before but she'd hunt down a library the first chance she got. "Thank you. It's very nice." Hisoka told him as she stared up at her godfather.

Gaara shifted slightly before answering, "I'll leave you to unpack. There are already some clothes here for you. Naruto told me some of the things you like to wear so I took the liberty of getting some for you."

"Thank you."

Watching as he left the room, Hisoka sighed softly when the door closed behind him and immediately tossed her backpack onto the soft bed before wandering over to the window. The streets below were quiet, everybody having retreated inside to escape the hot sun above. She could feel Ichibi's chakra wrapping tenderly around her, directing her to his current location. _Everything will be okay. I'll get to go home soon. _Hisoka thought as she closed the window and sat down on the floor, her eyes widening slightly._ Then someday we'll be okay and nobody will have to be a sacrifice._

Gaara knew from the moment that his goddaughter had seen her room that she wasn't a fan of extravagant. From what he had seen of the child's room back in Konoha, she was more familiar and comfortable with secondhand items. He really wouldn't have been surprised if the girl refused to play in any of the new clothes he bought her or looked at the books.

Nagging "what if" thoughts began crossing the redhead's mind as he fixed himself a cup of tea. A sigh left his lips as he reminded himself that many of the what ifs had already been addressed. If Naruto managed to accomplish his dream of becoming Hokage, Hisoka would need to adjust to living in the luxury that came with being a Kage's child.

Teal eyes read over the note Naruto had written, smiling to himself as he read the letter that Naruto had sent. Everything he needed to know had been provided which thankfully included some of the games that they played. From what he understood from the descriptions, they were both to release chakra as well as work on shinobi skills. At least he wasn't left to completely fend for himself when it came to the girl.

"So I heard my niece got escorted by two people." Kankuro commented as he came into the kitchen.

"Niece?" Gaara questioned.

"Naruto's practically family so the kid might as well be a niece." Kankuro explained simply. "So are the rumors true? The kid got escorted by ANBU and Jounin?"

He knew he was going to regret answering his brother's question. "Nara and that snake mistress." Gaara responded.

Kankuro's eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at his younger brother. "Anko? That snake mistress?" Kankuro asked quickly.

"Yes."

"That kid better sleep good tonight cause-"

"I don't want to hear about your planned activities." Gaara told his brother. "I especially don't want Hisoka to hear even a fraction of your activities. Naruto told me something happened back in Konoha and it set the girl back a few steps. The only good thing that came out of it was that she was able to look at Kakashi Hatake's Sharingan with little to no fear afterwards."

The brunette grinned slightly before answering, "Yeah, well, if that lazy shadow-nin's here then I can safely say that Temari's gonna be getting some."

"What's Temari gonna get?"

Both men spun around and saw Hisoka standing in the doorway of the kitchen, her eyes wide and questioning. "Hehe, you'll get it when you're older." Kankuro chuckled nervously. "But don't be coming into my room at night while Anko's here, m'kay? I wanna give Anko a big special grownup hug."

Gray eyes focused on them for a moment before the girl shrugged slightly. She had seen Kankuro's room in broad daylight and had no desire to go in there at night. "Did you get your things unpacked?" Gaara questioned calmly.

"It was just a backpack." Hisoka replied simply. "Is there any of that juice left? I'd like some please."

"Sure."

Kankuro laughed as he mussed up the girl's hair, watching as she wrinkled her nose. "So what'cha been up to, kiddo?" Kankuro questioned with a grin. "Causing hell?"

"I painted the Hokage Monument."

Gaara nearly dropped the glass as he spun around to stare at his goddaughter, watching his brother fall onto the floor laughing. "For fuckin' real?" Kankuro laughed. "Holy crap, Gaara! You'd better pray the kid stays away from Father's statue if you wanna keep from getting lectured!"

Gaara sighed softly to himself as he stared at his goddaughter and saw the lack of interest in her eyes. "Bored?" Gaara questioned calmly.

Immediately Hisoka nodded. "I don't like to watch cartoons much cause Neji says that I shouldn't let my brain rot out. Even Daddy doesn't let me watch cartoons or movies for more than an hour if he can help it." Hisoka told them. "Can we go to the library? I wanna see if Suna has books I've never read before."

Kankuro managed to stop laughing long enough to pull the girl onto his lap. "C'mon, Gaara! Let's go visit the library." Kankuro teased his little brother.

"Whatever happened to your interest in Anko?" Gaara inquired patiently.

"If this girl's been painting monuments, it'd probably be a good idea to let Anko-chan sleep."

"Anko-chan? Is she your girlfriend?" Hisoka questioned. "Anko's the hebi lady. Daddy thinks she's scary and I think she's got a couple screws loose."

"It's the unique ones that make life worth living." Kankuro explained simply. "Besides, little girls tend to marry their dads so you'll more than likely find a guy that's about as goofy as your dad."

Hisoka stared blankly at him for a moment before answering, "Nobody's as silly as Daddy."

He'd agree with that one. Smiling softly, Gaara mussed up the girl's hair before answering, "Get your shoes on. We'll go visit the library."

With a cheer and a grunt of pain on Kankuro's part, Hisoka raced to the door to get her shoes on. "Someday," Kankuro groaned as he curled into a ball with his hand pressing against his crotch, "that girl's gonna stop digging her heel into a guy's crotch."

Rolling his eyes at his brother, Gaara sighed softly before following the energetic child knowing full well that he was going to regret the whole trip to the library idea within the hour. Uzumaki and libraries just didn't go hand in hand and despite knowing that the girl was intelligent, Gaara just _knew_ something was going to happen.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: So it's Friday afternoon and I'm laughing at my brother's accusations since he thinks we cloned his cat. As I pointed out to him, the kitten may look like his cat but the kitten is a girl and his cat is a boy so we're teasing each other about the whole subject. Read and review, I'll see ya'll next week!<p> 


	48. Chapter 48

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I know I didn't update last week, it sucked big time and I was honestly a bit more concerned with a legal issue or two (I'm not in trouble but some scammers are once I get my hands on them) than updating. Also had work so between the two, it was a mental and emotional hell. Here's last week's chapter and I don't think I'm going to post this week's since I don't feel that it's quite ready for some strange reason.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Forty Eight<p>

Large, gray eyes widened as they entered the library, Hisoka's breath catching in her throat. This place was _huge_! Almost as big as Konoha's library, she bet, and there were probably hundreds of books that she had never laid eyes on before! If the librarian knew that she was Gaara's goddaughter, could she get her hands on any restricted books if she read every book in the library?

A small smile appeared on Gaara's face as he felt the excitement radiating from the child. "What kind of book do you want to find first?" Gaara asked.

"I wanna read the whole library." Hisoka breathed.

Kankuro looked at the girl in disbelief before answering, "No way! There's no way a kid could read so many books and have their brain not explode!"

Hisoka looked at him with a confused look. "Why not? I like reading. Daddy thinks that if I decide not to be a kunoichi then I could be a librarian."

"Let's find you a book, Hi-chan. Come on, let's ask the librarian where the children's section is."

"Okay!"

Kankuro shook his head as he wandered off to find something interesting to look at. He remembered seeing a book that had peaked his interest although now he supposed it was a matter of convincing the snake mistress to agree to try some of them. Knowing how adventurous in bed she was, he wouldn't have any trouble. With a grin on his face, the brunette bounded off towards the more adult section of the library.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Watching his goddaughter and their surroundings with all the skills that a shinobi possessed, it was clear that there were people amazed that he was allowing her to read such 'difficult looking' books. "That girl is Naruto-sama's daughter? He can't be more than what? Seventeen or eighteen? That girl's gotta be at least five!" Gaara heard somebody comment in amazement.

"I'm almost seven! It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back!" Hisoka called, not looking up from her book. "Even Sai knows that and a rock has more manners than him!"

Gaara fought against a smile as the girl picked herself up off the floor and held the book against her chest. "Did you find something?" Gaara asked.

"Uh huh. I like this book a lot. Can I get one more?" Hisoka pleaded.

Could she really read a book about, Gaara checked the title before starting when he read that it was about some theory of quantum energies, and actually understand every word? "I suppose." Gaara responded with a sigh.

Hisoka grinned as she put the book on his lap before bounding off to find another book. Suddenly there was a crash and a bang that sent the redhead flying to his feet and to where the girl had taken off. What he saw when he got to the girl's destination was enough to send any shinobi into a laughing fit.

Kankuro wrapped up in a cocoon of sand and being held upside down as Hisoka scolded him. "You don't climb bookshelves in the library just to impress somebody!" Hisoka scolded. "That's not how we behave and we don't demonstrate a picture in a book to other people that can't figure out how the people in the book got that way! What if a little kid saw? I saw that kind of thing before so it's okay but you don't do that when there's other people around!"

With irritation on her soft features, she turned and made the cocoon of sand follow her out of the library. "Gaara! Make her let me go!" Kankuro shouted at his brother.

"Hn."

Kankuro's dark eyes widened in shock as Gaara allowed Hisoka to pull him outside. "Sit there. We'll be out in a minute." Hisoka told the adult as she went back inside.

By now there were snickers coming from some of the patrons and several of the shinobi were now watching the six year old with varying degrees of wariness. "Did you want another book?" Gaara asked as he handed the girl the book she had chosen.

"Not anymore. I'll come back when I need a new book." Hisoka responded before grinning at the librarian. "I'd like this book please!"

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

A groan left Gaara's lips as he collapsed onto the couch, watching Hisoka run around the room. He had known before that the girl was as excitable as her father but he didn't think it was possible for _anybody_ to actually be more hyper than Naruto. This was perhaps even more terrifying than the one time he had seen Naruto running around on a sugar high.

He almost pitied Akina for what she was getting herself into.

The redhead willed a wall of sand up and watched with exhaustion as Hisoka ran headfirst into it before falling on her butt with giggles leaving her lips. It was hard to believe that just an hour ago the girl had _scolded_ Kankuro for misbehaving in a library and carried him out in a cocoon of sand. Right now, however, he distantly wondered how badly his brother's reputation had been bruised. "Calm down now." Gaara told the girl.

Hisoka crawled onto his lap and looked at him with a solemn expression. "How come stupid Sasuke had to go back to Konoha?" Hisoka asked.

"He decided he wanted to go home apparently."

"Konoha isn't his home anymore though! Sai told me that Sasuke-teme threw Konoha away like she wasn't important anymore."

Gaara rubbed the girl's head slightly before replying; "Sometimes grownups just do things that don't make sense to anybody but themselves."

Hisoka thought for a moment before saying, "Daddy says that it's good to forgive but never forget. I know Sasuke-teme made Daddy and everybody else sad and Daddy looked angry and happy at the same time when he heard that Sasuke-teme came back. I thought that maybe if I asked Granny Tsunade not to kill him, it'd make Daddy happy. Instead he sent me here. How come? Was it bad I wanted Daddy to be happy?"

Sometimes Gaara wondered just what wavelength the girl's brain was on. "No, you were being the grownup by forgiving Uchiha. It's not bad wanting Naruto to be happy."

"Then why did I get sent away?"

Didn't anybody explain to the girl why she was being sent to Suna? "Because Naruto was worried that Sasuke would be angry that you were being mature." Gaara pulled the girl so her head was resting over his heart. "Don't worry. Once everything gets settled down then you'll get to go back to Konoha."

"M'kay." Hisoka looked up at him. "Sasuke-teme's gonna be pissed when he gets out, isn't he?"

"Fairly."

"Would he count as an ally or enemy?"

"Intermediate, probably. Can't kill him but you could maim him."

"Maim?"

"Injure."

Hisoka grinned slightly before nestling against Gaara. "Love you, Gaara." Hisoka murmured.

Gaara smiled softly as he patted her head. "Love you too."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I had to actually think about where Sasuke would stand in Konoha's eyes and probably only Gaara would suggest maiming Sasuke. Since I just got back from riding horses, I'm going to update then I'm going to sit in front of a fan cause I got overheated. lol, kinda tells ya'll where my priorities lie today. Read and review!<p> 


	49. Chapter 49

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! Nothing much to say (I'm tired and kittens have been "attacking" when I'm trying to work on chapters) so let's get the show on the road!

**_Chapter Warning: ShikaxTemari lemon_**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Forty Nine<p>

There was perhaps nothing he could say to make them understand why he wanted to return to Konoha. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure he understood why he had wanted to come back. Why should he have when he knew full well that his brother had been ordered to kill off everybody with the surname of Uchiha? Why didn't he feel that same resolve to destroy this damnable village?

Perhaps it was because he sensed something was wrong and some part of him still felt the desire to protect his village. Perhaps, though, he realized that he had been an idiot. Either way, he knew his skin was safe the moment he laid eyes upon the council. His last name would save his life although he was fairly certain he wasn't about to receive any mercy from Tsunade. "Uchiha Sasuke, do you have anything else that you'd like to add?" Tsunade asked calmly as she stared icily at the Uchiha.

"Hn."

Irritation crossed the Hokage's features before she said, "Then it's time for you to hear what's going to happen to you. You will be spending the next three weeks in Konoha's maximum security prison and you will be stripped of all your shinobi standings until I damn well feel like giving them back. If you so much as touch a kunai or even _think_ about doing a hand sign then you'll find your ass in so much trouble not even the Kyuubi no Youko would dare get involved. You will also stay away from Uzumaki Hisoka and the nearest you'll be allowed near their home while Hisoka is in Konoha is three hundred yards."

As if he had any intentions on going near that damnable brat for _any_ reason. "Whatever." Sasuke responded smoothly.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched in irritation as she stared at the Uchiha before snapping at an ANBU guard, "Get him out of my sight. I don't want to see him until medical checkups are actually required."

Biting back any noise as he was roughly jerked from the room, Tsunade glanced at the other ANBU member that watched with caution radiating from his body. "You have permission to speak freely, Karasu." Tsunade said with a sigh.

"With all due respect, Lady Hokage, I don't believe that Uzumaki Hisoka should return to the village until after things have calmed down." Karasu responded. "We've been receiving reports of attacks on Naruto which mostly consists of vandalism. Even then it's not limited to just Naruto."

Was it really too late to just say that Sasuke was going to be executed? No, she couldn't let herself be ruled by emotion alone. If the Uchiha brat was killed then she was fairly certain all hell would break loose seeing as how many people still supported the young man. "That poor child's already been through hell. Let Naruto know that until things calm down, it wouldn't be wise to get ready to summon Hisoka back."

"Yes, ma'am."

With a puff of smoke, the ANBU member vanished without a trace. Tsunade closed her eyes for a brief moment knowing that she was going to celebrate when she finally stepped down from this hellacious job.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Soft gasps left Temari's lips as she dug her nails into Shikamaru's back, feeling his body moving against hers. She could hear the soft grunts that left the lazy shinobi's lips as he rolled his hips against her, filling her deeply. "Shika…" Temari moaned softly.

His name upon her lips was the only encouragement the lazy shinobi needed as he began pushing deeper and faster into her, listening to the cries leaving her lips. Shikamaru remembered the last time he and Temari had been able to spend a night like this together and it was one of those things that he prayed Naruto would be able to understand in his growing relationship with Akina. Long distance relationships were hard and made even harder when there were children involved.

A hiss of pained pleasure left the blonde woman's lips as Shikamaru dug his fingers into her hips, pulling her closer as his pace increased. She could feel her lower abdomen tightening tightly as she was pushed closer and closer to the edge, her muscles beginning to contract as his scent filled her senses. "You're so wet and tight." Shikamaru grunted softly.

"Please just let me." Temari pleaded as she raked her nails down the Nara's back. "Help me come."

Shifting his body ever so slightly, Shikamaru began hitting the one spot within the woman he knew would send her over to the edge. As if having a second thought, he slipped his thumb between the woman's folds and began rubbing her clit with enough pressure to send her screaming over the edge. He watched with interest as she began writhing against him, desperately seeking her release.

He had learned early on in the sexual aspect of their relationship that there were times when orgasm would be almost impossible for the woman. Her body would be primed to release but he supposed that her body was having her fake an orgasm even when she was fully enjoying herself. Once he had discovered that after having been forced to duck several flying knives, he had made it a point to ensure she came even if she was being stubborn and refusing to let him know.

Temari arched her back and screamed her pleasure as her muscles clamped down around Shikamaru's length, milking him dry. A small smile spread across their lips before they exchanged a soft kiss. "Marry me." Shikamaru said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Marry me," repeated Shikamaru patiently.

Temari stared patiently for a moment or two before opening her mouth in response. Before her answer was said aloud, they heard the door slam shut and the sound of a child running from the room. "Oh shit." Temari said as she shoved the Nara off of her. "Stay put cause a guy's gonna be the last person she's gonna want near."

Wrapping herself up in her robe, Temari slipped from the room and down to Hisoka's room. A soft smile spread across her face when she saw a toy rabbit's ear sticking out from under the bed. "Hi-chan, come on out." Temari said softly.

"No." Temari frowned slightly at the muffled reply.

"Don't worry, Shika's not here with me."

Temari sat down on the bed and waited patiently as the little girl slowly came out from her hiding place. "I heard you scream." Hisoka said softly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Temari smiled softly as she touched the girl's multi-colored hair, nearly amazed at how soft the colored locks were. "You were scared?" Temari questioned.

"Uh huh. I seen that before but the ladies were always crying. Sometimes even the boys were crying." Hisoka's eyes wandered to San as she shifted slightly. "I cried lots too cause it hurt."

"What you saw Shika and me doing, Hisoka, is something that doesn't hurt if the one you're doing that with is the right person." Temari explained. "Did your daddy ever talk to you about that?"

"No. The head doctors tried but they just asked how did it make me feel and I always told them that I felt dirty every time they asked me."

So that issue hadn't been resolved? Temari sighed softly before answering, "Well, what you saw is something that's supposed to feel good. When it doesn't feel good is when you don't have the right person."

Hisoka grabbed San and covered her mouth as she stared at Temari. "Never felt good." Hisoka told her. "It always felt bad."

"That's because you aren't a grownup. When you get bigger, your brain and body will do more talking. Right now, your body tells your brain when it's time to eat or when you get hurt."

"What about when I grow up?"

"Then your body will tell your brain other things like if someone is your soul mate."

Hisoka nodded slightly before asking, "Did you hurt?"

Temari almost pitied the poor bastards that were going to be handling Hisoka later in life. "It always hurts the first time because us girls have a garden and there's a gate that protects that garden." Temari said patiently, her mind frantically racing for an explanation. "Boys have keys to that garden but the garden gates break when the boys put the key in so it hurts the first time. Afterwards though, the garden is open for that special someone to go into and it doesn't hurt."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart."

Seemingly comforted by the knowledge that Temari wasn't hurt and that she hadn't seen anything terrible, Hisoka allowed herself to be tucked back into bed. "What about boys?" Hisoka questioned.

"Boys just have a backdoor that's always locked unless another boy uses a key to get in."

"Oh. It hurts them too?"

"Yep." Temari brushed the child's hair out of her eyes. "Just remember, honey, we don't talk about this to anybody. This is just like when you close the bathroom door to use the toilet."

"Private."

"Right. Now go to sleep and no more wandering around at night."

"Temari?"

"Hmm?"

Hisoka sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "When Kabuto snuck into the village and hurt me…" Hisoka trailed off, her eyes questioning if this was one of the things that was okay to talk about.

"What happened, honey? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Kabuto hit me a lot and when I managed to get away, the snake was what went between my legs. All Kabuto did was hit me but when he caught me, I felt like I was burning." Her arms tightened around her legs as the tears welled up. "I told Daddy I hated him cause he didn't help me. I didn't mean it."

"I know, sweetheart, and so does your dad." The blonde gently kissed the little girl's head and wiped away the tears that had fallen. "You're okay now, honey. I'd like to say that there isn't any monsters in the world but that'd be lying. What I'm not going to lie about is that you have the means to protect yourself and everybody else that you love."

Slowly the girl nodded before grinning at Temari. "I'm glad you're not hurt." Hisoka told her.

Now that she had gotten that off her chest, Temari supposed the girl was just a little more comfortable with what she had seen earlier. "I'm glad too. Just remember that there's a difference between happy screaming and hurt screaming." Temari couldn't help but smile softly as she tucked the girl back in. "Okay?"

"Okay."

Watching as Temari left the room, Hisoka rolled over onto her stomach and stared at San. "We should go to sleep, San. We can ask Gaara tomorrow." She paused a moment. "I know Temari said not to ask cause it was private. Don't be stupid, San, we can't ask Daddy cause he's not here. Let's just go to sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning. Maybe big brother knows."

Holding tightly to the stuffed fox, Hisoka closed her eyes and allowed her dreams to take over again.

"So?"

Temari closed her eyes as she nestled against the dark-haired man before answering, "I think I just gave Hisoka the means to where babies come from and explained sex."

Shikamaru smiled softly before answering, "She's bound to ask sooner or later if she hasn't already. Of course with how often she's been…" Shikamaru stiffened, unable to say the word. "With how often she's been mistreated, I'll be impressed if she ever becomes truly comfortable with the idea."

"I suppose. Now, I believe we had something to take care of before a child came running away convinced that you were hurting me."

He really didn't want to ask the question again but from the look in Temari's eyes, she remembered perfectly well. "And?" Shikamaru questioned calmly.

"Somebody's gonna have to keep your lazy ass moving so yes."

It was probably about as good as they were going to get with proposals seeing as Shikamaru was so lazy but as Temari lightly kissed her fiancé, she knew she wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: I love Shikamaru and Temari as a couple and since they have a long distance relationship, that's going to be purely emotional until they have a chance to get together. Then I don't see them actually turning down the chance to get physical. So until next week, read and review!<p> 


	50. Chapter 50

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad people liked Kankuro being "escorted" out of the library and Temari's voice at the whole "I think I just explained sex" comment was one of those tones that just can't be described. So now I'm snacking on ice cream (thanks to lactose pills, I can enjoy dairy products again) and updating. Here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or "Itsy Bitsy Spider" so don't sue.

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><p>Chapter Fifty<p>

Gaara glanced over at the child a week and a half later, watching as she played with the doll and toy fox she had brought with them to play with. He knew she had books tucked away somewhere in the office but right now she seemed to be content with entertaining herself. He was just grateful that she understood when to make herself scarce when it came to the older shinobi that were more eager to blame her for old war crimes.

_**The itsy, bitsy spider went up the waterspout  
>down came the rain and washed the spider out.<br>Out came the sun and dried up all the rain  
>and the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again.<strong>_

A bright smile spread across Hisoka's face as she looked at him before turning her head towards the door when they heard a knock. "Enter." Gaara said calmly.

The redhead felt his heart pick up the pace a little as Matsuri entered the room, her brown hair mussed up from the wind that had been blowing all day. Immediately her eyes fell on Hisoka, watching as the child darted under Gaara's desk. "Lord Kazekage?" Matsuri questioned carefully.

"My goddaughter. She's Uzumaki Naruto's daughter." Gaara explained as he carefully pried Hisoka out from under the desk. "Come on. You're okay."

Matsuri resisted the urge to squeal in delight at the child's appearance. She was fairly certain she had never before seen a child that was so adorable in any village. "Hi there. I'm Matsuri." Matsuri said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Hisoka." There was hesitation in the girl's eyes as she held onto Gaara's hand.

"That's a pretty name. How old are you, Hisoka-chan?"

The girl looked at Gaara as if asking if it were okay to say. When the redhead nodded slightly, Hisoka answered shyly, "I'm six. Almost seven."

He had never seen the girl act so shy when it came to anybody but he supposed that Matsuri could have reminded the girl of somebody she knew once. "Do you have your report?" Gaara questioned.

"Oh yes!" Matsuri's cheeks turned slightly red. "Everything was clear in the southern border."

Gaara allowed Hisoka to slip away from him and watched out of the corner of his eye as she retreated to the doll that had once belonged to Temari back when she had actually played with them before she stepped up and took over their mother's responsibilities. "That's good. I have a job for you to do if you'd be willing to accept." Gaara said calmly.

"Yes?"

"I have a meeting in two days and naturally I can't bring Hisoka along due to her fascination with important monuments and need to paint." Gaara explained, casting a wary look at the little girl that was playing without a care in the world. "Could I convince you to keep an eye on her for a couple of hours?"

Matsuri glanced over at the girl, seeing that she was acting like the doll was riding the toy fox. She wasn't sure if the child was paying any attention to them but it was clear she was paying attention to _something_. "Yes, of course." Matsuri responded looking slightly nervous.

Hisoka beamed at the older girl before looking at Gaara with a grin that the Kazekage recognized easily. As Kazekage, he'd better warn the kunoichi just what she had agreed to do before she learned the hard way. He wasn't eager to see if Matsuri would declare mutiny after chasing after Hisoka. "You realize that my goddaughter is Naruto's daughter and equally excitable." Gaara told the girl.

"I understand, Kazekage-sama."

Knowing that he'd have to give the woman a generous payment, the redhead offered a small nod. "Then I'll see you at eight sharp." Gaara told the woman.

Having the feeling she just agreed to something that the Academy never once thought to train their students in, Matsuri left the room with a small bow.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_Crash! Bang!_

Matsuri flinched when she heard the sound of something heavy hitting the floor and stared when she heard the sigh leave Gaara's lips. "She's excited that you're coming over to play." Gaara explained calmly. "She's been up since six this morning."

She had gotten the feeling that there would be some things that would be explained so she had come over about fifteen minutes earlier than when Gaara told her to. Now that she was there, she was almost scared to see how two hours would go. "Um, okay." Matsuri looked slightly nervous.

"Hisoka's already eaten her breakfast and around ten she'll probably want her morning snack. If my meeting goes past lunch, don't bother making anything with meat or she won't eat it." Gaara explained.

"May I ask why?"

"It's a habit of hers that Naruto found out and has been unable to break her of. We suspect that she associates meat at lunch with something that happened in Orochimaru's lair." His teal eyes stared calmly at her. "Hisoka is very active so I'd recommend letting her run around outside. Watch out or she'll attempt to use chakra to manipulate the sand or scare somebody."

Now her nervousness had returned full force. "Does _that_ happen often?" Matsuri asked carefully.

"Every day she comes up with a new idea. Now, she has an allergy to milk so there's some lactose free milk and cheese in the fridge. There are even some lactose pills in the event she chooses a snack that might contain milk that she can take. If she has a panic attack, which is always a possibility, one trick we've learned works best is if you put a blanket over her head and hold her until she's calmed down. There's a list of techniques that Naruto and the other shinobi in Konoha discovered work quite well on the fridge."

A grunt left the woman's lips as she was suddenly tackled, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw Gaara pull Hisoka back by the back of her shirt. "Matsuri-chan's here!" Hisoka cheered happily.

"Is that really how we greet guests?" Gaara chided patiently.

Hisoka stared for a moment before grinning at the woman. "Hi, Matsuri-chan! We're gonna have lots of fun!"

Fun. Right. Was that an evil glint that had just appeared in the girl's gray eyes? No, she must have been imagining things. There was no way any kid of Naruto's could possibly be- There it was again! "Good morning, Hisoka-chan. How are you today?" Matsuri asked.

"Fine. Can we play now? I know! Let's race! Kankuro raced with me earlier today cause I had Karasu and was playing with him and Kankuro wanted him back. Then Temari raced with me cause she wanted to brush my hair."

"Your hair still hasn't been brushed." Gaara responded patiently. "I should be back in a couple of hours so behave."

"M'kay. Bye-bye! Have fun!"

"You too." Gaara briefly hugged the girl before releasing her. "Good luck."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

How in the living hell could one child be so energetic?

Matsuri panted softly as she watched the six-year-old child spin around as if she hadn't just spent the past hour and a half running around the village. She could still see the pitying looks that came from those that had once kept an eye on the child. Maybe it was those looks that had made her more determined to keep up. "Ne, are you tired?" There was concern in Hisoka's eyes as she squatted down next to the worn out kunoichi. "Matsuri-nee-chan?" Poke. "Matsuri-nee-chan, are you tired?"

"Not at all. Just taking a breather." Matsuri responded.

Hisoka frowned slightly. "Liar. We can go inside and read a book if you want. Daddy packed my favorite story before I got sent here. I can read it to you if you want." Hisoka told her. "Ero-sennin wrote it. It's not a naughty book like Kakashi-Ji-Ji reads so it's okay."

"Are you tired?" Matsuri asked carefully.

"No, but I'm getting hungry. Can we have a snack before we read?"

"Sure."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Naruto sighed as he scrubbed the paint from the walls, ignoring the word "monster" painted in red. He groaned to himself when he realized that he'd be repainting walls and replacing some furniture before Hisoka was allowed to return to Konoha and wondered what she was doing in Suna right now. Probably driving some of Gaara's shinobi up a wall and "stealing" Gaara's hat so she could play Kazekage.

He wondered if Gaara had realized that Hisoka would walk on walls and the ceiling.

The blonde's heart clenched tightly for a moment before he finally took comfort in the knowledge that at least Gaara wouldn't have to put up with the vandalism. His friends in Konoha were all being targeted unless whoever was doing it wasn't feeling brave enough to take on the clans. Damn cowards going after them just for taking care of a child.

In a week and a half he knew that Sasuke would be let out of prison and felt a twinge of anxiety. Perhaps two weeks afterwards he'd call for Hisoka to return home and the most he'd be able to do was serve as the wall between his daughter and the Uchiha. _"You're not even sure you want to call him your best friend anymore."_ Kyuubi commented calmly.

"Would you?" Naruto muttered under his breath.

"_He'd have been dead before your Hokage was able to pass judgment."_ Kyuubi responded patiently. _"You're the forgiving one and you've been teaching 'forgive but never forget' to the kit."_

"And I'm kicking myself for it."

"_Just take the time to decide how badly you want the Uchiha around. Then you can decide if you want to resume calling him your best friend or not."_

For a moment the blonde wondered how sad it was that Kyuubi was giving him advice that had nothing to do with fighting before deciding that perhaps he was right. After all, he couldn't very well tell his daughter to do one thing only to turn around and not take his own advice. "Fine." Naruto sighed as he went to dump the dirty water out. "I'm still going to keep an eye on the bastard."

"Talking to yourself or the Kyuubi?" A voice questioned.

Naruto's body froze in surprise before turning around and seeing Sasuke leaning against a wall. "You're supposed to be in prison!" Naruto shouted.

"Good behavior. I also said that I'd attempt to get to a less homicidal state of mind when your daughter is involved. It's amazing how my last name still carries influence with the Council also."

"Get the hell out of my house!"

"Your daughter isn't here and I was told that I couldn't go within three hundred yards of your daughter."

Irritation crossed the blonde's features before he asked, "Fine. What do you want?"

Sasuke shrugged slightly in response before answering, "This apartment looks much nicer than the one you had before when we were Gennin. Did you get this place before or after your daughter came to live with you?"

While he was tempted to lie, Naruto sighed to himself. "After," he replied calmly. "So let me ask you something."

"What?"

"What in the hell did you guys do to her that convinced Hisoka that talking was bad? I mean, we've already worked through about half of the shit that happened so she doesn't react as badly if at all but I wanna know what in the hell got her thinking half the stuff she does."

Sasuke made a face that told the blonde exactly of his distain before answering, "We're going to need sake if you expect me to tell you that one."

"In that case, I'm calling everyone else over so they can hear what the fuck happened."

"Why didn't you have someone go through her memories?"

Naruto paused a moment before answering, "Because she blocked out so many that we were able to only find out some of it. One of the things we know for certain, teme, was that you were there from the beginning."

Sighing as he leaned into the couch, Sasuke's dark eyes focused calmly on Naruto's blue eyes. "Just don't forget the sake. You're going to want it." Sasuke told him. "I mean it."

Yeah, somehow he had gotten that feeling from the moment he had first stared into those haunted orbs that were his daughter's eyes. Suddenly his blue eyes hardened as he stared at the raven. "So you know, teme, I will kill you if you ever touch my daughter again."

Narrowing his eyes in response, Sasuke snorted as he responded, "Che, baka dobe."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Naturally I've got another anime trying to distract me while updates are in progress so it's getting a little distracting. For everybody who wants something to happen to Sasuke, let's just say that duck-butt-sama will get his when Akina gets her hands on him. So until next week, read and review!<p> 


	51. Chapter 51

lostmoonchild: Hey, thanks for the reviews! I was originally going to write down what exactly Sasuke did but for some reason the words didn't come so I just decided to skip it. Yes, Sasuke is going to be a good guy (he's still not going to like Hi-chan) although I still think he's an ass. I know the "san" and "chan" differences, I was just kinda playing with the idea that Hi-chan technically is older than Matsuri despite having the phsyical appearance and mentality of a child but thanks! So here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty One<p>

He was beginning to suspect that he'd have to assign an ANBU squad to ensure that his goddaughter didn't cause any trouble although he also suspected he'd be seeing several transfer requests from the ones that were terrified of the girl. As Gaara stared at the three people in his office, one teenager and two children, he had the sinking feeling that he couldn't keep up the routine he had allowed himself to settle into. He just wished that his goddaughter hadn't thought to pull Kenji and Ichiru into the mix seeing as the former looked about ready to cry and the latter looked a bit anxious.

The Kazekage raised a nonexistent eyebrow as he read through the report, wondering how exactly his goddaughter had managed to stick all of the furniture in the Jounin's area onto the ceiling when reports showed that Kenji and Ichiru showed up shortly before the Jounin arrived. "I did most of it, Gaara, so Kenji and nii-san shouldn't get into trouble." Hisoka offered. "They showed up right after I had basically finished up."

"Hisoka! We helped paint the floor!" Kenji protested.

"At the end!" Hisoka sighed as she put an arm around Kenji's shoulders. "You're a goofy."

"Am not!"

Ichiru sighed as he looked at the two children before looking at Gaara. He wondered if he'd have dark marks around his eyes from the lack of sleep as well or if the few hours of rest he was granted would help fight back the marks. _"Don't count on it."_ Ichibi chuckled darkly.

Hisoka frowned slightly as she stared at Ichiru, her gray eyes questioning. "What's Ichi-kun talking about?" Hisoka asked. "Don't count on what? Nii-san, what's Ichi-kun talking about?"

"It's nothing." Ichiru told her.

"_It's nothing terrible."_

"Ichi-kun's lying. He sounds like Kabuto when he said the green stuff wouldn't hurt and the people's skin got all bubbly before they folded backwards and they broke."

"_It's nothing like that, little one."_ Ichibi tried to reassure the child.

While her eyes said that she didn't believe him, Hisoka chose not to voice her doubts. "Let me get this straight." Gaara said calmly. "Hisoka got bored so she decided to pull a prank on the Jounin and somehow you two knew that she was pulling a prank and decided to sneak in and join her."

"Basically."

He really should remember that one Uzumaki can cause enough trouble by themselves but if a friend or two were added then real trouble would get started. He had forgotten that was the reason why there were always one or two people around Naruto that could keep him in line. He just wondered what Akina would do when she found out her son had gotten into trouble with her boyfriend's daughter. "I really shouldn't be surprised that you and Kenji are already acting like you're siblings." Gaara sighed.

He knew that the relationship between Naruto and Akina was getting pretty serious and that any day now he'd be seeing a request for transfer on his desk. Of course it wouldn't be for Naruto and Hisoka to live in Suna seeing as Konoha would have a fit if Naruto even attempted to leave for good but for Akina and Kenji to move to Konoha. "Why did you three choose Jounin?" Gaara asked finally.

"Gennin are no fun, Chuunin tend to only yell, and ANBU throw explosives." Hisoka listed effortlessly. "Jounin at least chase."

What the hell was the difference between Suna and Konoha ANBU then? "You two head home. Hisoka, you'll wait until I can leave." Gaara told them. "I'll figure out what to do with you three later."

"Bye, Hi-chan. We'll see you later." Ichiru sighed softly.

"Bye, nii-san!" Hisoka hugged Kenji tightly. "Just tell your mom I'm a bad influence. That's what Daddy calls Kakashi-Ji-Ji when he reads those orange books around me."

Which would be all the time if he remembered correctly unless by some miracle the Jounin managed to pry his eye away from the book when Hisoka was around. "Go home." Gaara told the two boys with a small nod. "Kenji, if your mother has any problems just have her talk to me and we'll work something out."

"Okay."

Those two children really were joining together on a sibling level. Gaara watched the worry in his goddaughter's eyes as Kenji and Ichiru left the office before she crawled onto his lap. "Gaara, if Daddy and Kenji's mom decide to get married will she be my new mom?" Hisoka asked quietly.

"She'd be your stepmother."

"What about Kenji?"

"Stepbrother."

Hisoka didn't say anything for a few moments before nodding slightly. "So how come you really decided to prank the Jounin?" Gaara questioned.

"I miss school. I know I'm ahead of the other kids in my class at home but I still miss school."

He'd have to set something up so the girl could get lessons then. "Let's go home." Gaara said with a small sigh. "Then tomorrow I'll see what we can do."

"M'kay."

Lightly pushing her off his lap, Gaara held the girl's hand as they left the office with the redhead wondering just how Naruto could handle this without losing his sanity. He could still remember Matsuri's questions regarding why Hisoka called her "Matsuri-chan" when the girl was only six. Of course the expression on the kunoichi's face when she realized that she had babysat someone older than her had been amusing but it was still a headache.

He just hoped that Hisoka understood why she had to act like her physical age instead of her chronological age.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"You want what?"

Naruto grinned as he rubbed the back of his head a couple days later, knowing that Tsunade still wasn't overly pleased over three of her shinobi and Sasuke being thrown in the hospital for alcohol poisoning by a couple of drunk shinobi. She still hadn't read the report but if even Naruto had drank enough alcohol that his metabolism couldn't keep up, it was something she'd be better off reading little by little. "Well, there's this one girl in Suna-" Naruto's eyes widened when Tsunade suddenly stood up.

"Whole story. Now."

Tsunade listened as Naruto told how he and Akina had met as well as when they had realized their feelings. "Then we got to talking that maybe she could live here so we could be a family." Naruto told her. "Hi-Hi and Kenji are around the same age so they can entertain each other. I know Hi-Hi's lonely with no other kids around that don't have to listen to clan etiquette and stuff like that. Besides, Hi-Hi likes Akina and I want to marry her but I don't think either of us could stand being married and being so far apart."

As a medic-nin, Tsunade remembered the auburn-haired woman and from her first impression, the woman was more than capable. Hisoka had appeared to like the woman enough to do everything the woman had asked as if she were the girl's own mother. "So you want to marry Akina." Tsunade said calmly.

"If she's willing to put up with me."

"She has my permission if Lord Kazekage will agree to allow Akina and her son to leave Suna."

Naruto cheered loudly before looking sheepish when Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Is your apartment going to be big enough for four people?" Tsunade asked finally.

"For now. I mean it's not like it'll be impossible to get a bunk bed."

Tsunade nodded slightly before dismissing him. When the blonde man left the apartment, the woman smiled to herself as she began writing a message to send to Gaara.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He thought he'd have a moment's peace but when Akina came into his office looking a bit anxious about something, he knew that today was the day that the question finally came into play. "Good afternoon, Akina-san." Gaara said with a small nod.

"Good afternoon, Lord Kazekage." Akina responded. "May I have a moment of your time?"

"Go ahead. Is something bothering you?" Gaara asked.

Akina fidgeted slightly a moment before answering, "I know you're friends with Naruto so you may have already heard from him regarding our relationship."

"I have."

"Then you're probably aware that he's asked me to marry him and that he'd like Kenji and me to move to Konoha so we can be a family."

Gaara smiled softly in amusement as he leaned back in his chair. "That seems to be a theme lately. Temari's already asked for permission to move to Konoha so she can marry Shikamaru Nara."

A blush formed on Akina's cheeks as she responded quickly, "I mean no disrespect, sir, and I don't mean to sound ungrateful for your father accepting a wandering shinobi family to settle down within Suna, but I have never felt truly comfortable here. I don't regret serving under you and I-"

"I understand." Gaara offered a comforting smile. "I must admit that I had been wondering when you were going to seek permission to take yourself and your son out of the village."

Surprise crossed the woman's features before her blush deepened. "Kenji adores Naruto and I feel that my son needs a man like Naruto to be in his life." Akina told him.

"As do I. You have my full permission to move to Konoha as well as my blessings and congratulations."

Akina bowed slightly. "Thank you, Lord Kazekage," she said softly.

"Gaara."

The woman jumped slightly in surprise and gave the redhead a questioning look. "Naruto is considered to be an unofficially adopted brother to my siblings and myself. Since you are going to marry him, I request that the formalities between us are dropped." Gaara explained. "Also, Naruto has sent word that things have settled down enough for Hisoka to return to Konoha."

"So soon?"

"As much as it displeases me. I intend on telling Hisoka tonight although I've sent word to Naruto that it will take a little while for you to get your affairs in order and that Hisoka will be returning to Konoha with you, Kenji, and Temari. Lady Tsunade has already informed me that two squads will be sent to meet up with you all at the border."

Nodding slightly in understanding, the woman bowed again before leaving. Happiness grew within the woman as she walked through the streets, knowing full well that the only time they'd be in Suna was to visit. She didn't know why this village felt like a prison to her when she didn't even know how Konoha would feel to her or Kenji. Would they be accepted or would they be looked down upon for leaving their village?

Her eyes softened as she walked by the park and saw Hisoka and Kenji chasing each other around the swings with some other children, their shouts of excitement filling the air. Even among other children they stood out as something different. Perhaps this move would be good for her son and give him what he needed to avoid following in his father's footsteps.

Pain clenched Akira's heart as she remembered her ex-husband before she stomped down on his memory. She hoped he was rotting in a gutter somewhere and completely miserable seeing as he had ditched his family just because she had gotten injured. The wounds he caused her, however, she knew Naruto would be able to heal.

Smiling softly, the woman turned towards her and Kenji's apartment to begin packing their things.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Yay! Gaara and Tsunade gave permission for both sets of lovers to be together in Konoha! So I'm gonna vanish again until next week and I hope ya'll have a good Easter. Read and review!<p> 


	52. Chapter 52

lostmoonchild: Hey, minna-san! Thanks for the reviews. It's almost one in the morning here and I decided to get chapters posted since I may be losing my internet for a while so I make no promises for next week's update. All I can promise is that I will find a way to update if push comes to shove and more than likely I will be resorting to using my grandmother's computer (the horror if she realized that her not so innocence granddaughter writes smut!) or the library (I repeat: THE HORROR!). So here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty One<p>

Naruto could probably count on one hand how many times he had been patient although now he was wishing that he could have been allowed to leave Konoha to pick his family up. "Waiting for someone?" Shino questioned calmly.

"Yeah and they're taking forever!" Naruto groaned in frustration.

"Well, excuse us! Traveling with two kids isn't half as easy as traveling with one." A familiar voice commented in frustration.

The blonde cheered and scooped his daughter up into his arms when she ran to him, hugging her tightly before moving to hug Akina and Kenji. "Welcome to Konoha." Naruto said with a pleased grin. "We'll need to go see Granny Tsunade and then we can go home."

Hisoka pushed against her father and jumped into Shino's arms with a laugh. "Hi, Shino! That's Akina and that's Kenji. They're gonna live in Konoha now. Isn't that cool?"

Akina resisted the urge the shiver as she stared at the man, feeling as if he were staring into her very core. "It's a pleasure." Shino responded calmly. "Hisoka, is that really how we greet people?"

The girl shook her head slightly before answering, "But I missed you lots. Shichi-chan always makes me miss you."

He would have believed that had the girl not been around the Ichibi only. "For future reference, don't jump on people that you missed." Shino told her. "I know we've had that discussion after you jumped on somebody that just got back from a mission."

Hisoka's face paled slightly at the memory. "Unless it's Kiba or someone that doesn't mind." Naruto chuckled. "Did you guys have a good trip?"

"Exhausting."

Kenji stared up at Shino in amazement, trying to figure out how Hisoka could feel so comfortable around such a seemingly cold guy. "He's Daddy's friend. I like him and he has bugs that can eat up your chakra! They don't like it when I feed them Kyuu-chan's chakra or anything that belongs to the Bijuu." Hisoka explained as she held Kenji's hand. "C'mon, let's go see Granny Tsunade and Shizune-nee-chan."

"I'm almost afraid how you decided that Shizune's a big sister." Naruto told his daughter.

"Cause she don't like Sasuke-teme either."

He wasn't going to argue with her on that one or even scold her for swearing. "Let's go see Granny Tsunade so you can tell her all about Suna." Naruto sighed.

Hisoka beamed as she pulled Kenji through the streets, ever careful not to go too far ahead of Naruto and Akina. "So when do we tell them?" Akina asked softly.

"How about tonight? A bunch of my friends want to get together to celebrate so we can break the news to everyone."

Akina nodded slightly before looking around them. She could see the jealous glares that was sent her way and from how the little girl was now making sure she and Kenji stayed close, they were about to enter dangerous territory. "Daddy…" Hisoka suddenly whimpered.

Naruto picked up his daughter and watched with cool eyes as a teenage boy walked by, a sneer suddenly spreading across his lips. "Who was that?" Kenji questioned.

"Just someone whose family Hisoka stayed with." Naruto replied as he patiently eased his daughter away from a panic attack. "Then she got to live with me and we've been a family ever since."

By the time they reached Tsunade's office, Hisoka had effectively been calmed down and was crashing into the walls. "Granny Tsunade!" The girl shouted as she ran into Tsunade's office.

Tsunade closed her eyes as a sigh left her lips before she hugged the girl. "Did you have fun in Suna?" Tsunade questioned.

"Yep, and I didn't do anything to start a war." Hisoka reported happily. "I didn't even make the ANBU or anybody else declare mutiny! I wore out Matsuri-chan and she was surprised cause I called her that but Gaara likes her a lot so I decided she was okay and should be called that."

"Amazing. You may end up doing diplomatic missions one day."

Akina wasn't sure whether to be amused or shocked when Hisoka suddenly stuck her tongue out at Tsunade before darting under the desk. "Hi-Hi, be nice. Granny Tsunade, this is Akina Hara and her son, Kenji." Naruto said with a small grin.

Akina and Kenji bowed slightly, each surprised when Tsunade waved her hand as if dismissing it. "I just got your information from Lord Kazekage about two hours ago. You're at a Jounin rank as of now, am I right?" Tsunade questioned.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm also as medic, as you may remember from Hisoka's stay in Suna's hospital."

"I remember. Exceptionally skilled."

"If you say so."

"My student, Haruno Sakura, works at the Konoha hospital and there's currently a job opening there if you're interested. Kenji of course will be placed in Hisoka's class if you wish to enroll him in the Academy here."

"Yes! Oh, please say yes!" Hisoka shouted from under the desk.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched before she pulled the little girl out from under her desk. "Go find Hebi-chan." Tsunade said calmly.

"But she's got a couple screws loose in the attic!" Hisoka protested loudly.

"One. Don't make me reach three."

With a groan, Hisoka grabbed Kenji's hand and pulled him out of the office with her. "I don't know why you make my daughter find Hebi-chan when you know she hates snakes." Naruto told the older woman.

"Because I keep hoping some important detail will knock itself loose." Tsunade responded patiently. "Now, I also understand that you two are going to get married and I'm going to assume that a date hasn't been set up as of yet."

Naruto wrinkled his nose, trying to figure out what exactly their personal relationship had to do with Akina and Kenji becoming citizens. "Hey! No trying to pry into our love life!" Naruto suddenly accused after the figurative light went off in his head.

Just what kind of relationship did Naruto have with the Hokage? They acted more like mother and child instead of leader and follower. "You can't blame me for wanting to know." Tsunade replied as she handed Akina some papers. "Sign these papers and you'll officially be a kunoichi of Konoha."

Akina glanced at Naruto and signed the papers, a sense of peace filling her. Was this the place she had been looking for her entire life? Was finding a place to truly call home honestly so great that it was a state of surprise? Shaking slightly from excitement, Akina signed her and Kenji's names before yelping in surprise when Naruto suddenly grabbed her and spun around.

"Oh, Temari-san should be coming in to see you as soon as she and that lazy guy get back." Akina said after swatting Naruto's head until he released her.

"I'm not surprised. Welcome to Konoha, Akina Hara. You should have your forehead protector by the end of today."

"Thank you."

After leaving Tsunade's office and collecting the two children, they immediately headed back to the apartment. "I'm thinking that the apartment will do for now." Naruto said with a sheepish grin as Akina looked around while Hisoka showed Kenji her room. "I don't think the kids will mind sharing for now."

"Kenji will appreciate it. He never sleeps well by himself in new places."

A giggle left her lips as Naruto suddenly pulled her to him and smiled softly after they exchanged a small kiss. "I'm glad you're here." Naruto told her.

"Me too."

A look of concern crossed Akina's features as Naruto suddenly released her and glanced towards the bedrooms. "We need to talk about something. I didn't want to say anything in our letters cause, well, I didn't think it was something that should be said any other way." Naruto told her.

"You're in love with someone else?"

"No!" A sigh left the blonde's lips. "Once word gets out that we're engaged, there's a chance that some of the clans around here are going to be questioning."

Confusion crossed her features before she asked, "Is there a reason?"

"My parents were the last of their clans and since they're dead, I'm officially listed as head of the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans."

She had gone from wandering to being a medic in Suna to engaged to a leader of two clans? She hoped Fate was enjoying its little game with her since she could have gone without being an abandoned wife and single mother. "So the other clans are suddenly going to be interested in any potential heirs?" Akina inquired as she watched Naruto fix up some tea.

"A couple of them already tried sinking their teeth into Hisoka so I really wouldn't be surprised if they thought Kenji was our love child."

If it weren't for the fact that the topic was serious, Akina would have started laughing. "So what do we do?" Akina asked patiently. "I've never played clan politics before so you're gonna have to help me out a little."

"Well, I talked to Shika since he's a clan heir. Hinata, Ino, Kiba, Shino, and Chouji's parents are all clan heads so they got a general idea. Sasuke-teme's a clan head too but I wasn't about to ask the bastard anything."

"You've already told your friends?"

"No, I only talked to Shika so he knows but he won't breathe a word to anybody. I'm telling you other people you can talk to if you need to." Naruto sighed softly. "I guess a public announcement of our engagement is going to need to be made."

She really wished she had known about this before so she could prepare both herself and Kenji. "Okay. So we go ahead and say that we're engaged. Then what?" Akina asked as she settled herself in a chair as Naruto poured her some tea.

The two talked softly about what would be expected of them in the future, each of them grateful the two children ended up staying in their room. When they had finished discussing their situation, Naruto gave the woman a wary smile. "You sure you still wanna marry me?" Naruto questioned carefully.

"Yes."

"Okay then. Should we gather up the kids so we can go meet up with my friends since I doubt a stick's gonna hold them back for long."

Giggling softly, Akina kissed her fiancé. "How about the three of us that were traveling get cleaned up first?" Akina suggested. "Then tonight when the kids are sleeping, you and I can have a little welcome home celebration of our own."

"_Hell yes!"_ Kyuubi shouted excitedly. _"I love this woman!"_

_Isn't that my line?_ Naruto thought as he kissed Akina's fingers. "I love you." Naruto told her with a grin. "Kyuu even loves you too."

"Now that's a scary thought." Akina teased softly. "I'm gonna jump in the shower. Is that okay?"

"Just don't slip and fall."

"Kunoichi, my love. Then we can get the kids in the bath and be on our way."

Watching as she retreated to the bathroom to take a shower, Naruto couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. Maybe that fate crap that Neji used to go on about was real and he was getting dealt a few good hands. He wondered how ironic it was that he had lost his parents because of the Kyuubi no Youko and yet here he was, gaining a family because of the same reason.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Just trying to imagine clan politics makes my head hurt so after all my stories are updated, I'm off to bed if Teahouse doesn't keep me up. Anyway, read and review and I'll see you guys next week... I hope.<p> 


	53. Chapter 53

lostmoonchild: Konbanwa! Arigato for the reviews, Minna-san! So things clearly got worked out since I'm able to update on a Friday (though it's 11:30 pm here) but I guess things are gonna get a little crazy again. So here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Three<p>

He was going to be impressed if the two children even remembered how to do anything without holding the other's hand. Then again, Naruto supposed that Kenji was anxious due to being in a new village about to meet people and Hisoka was providing comfort. "Is it normal to get with a bunch of people?" Kenji questioned.

"Sometimes we go have dinner with everyone. First time Daddy and I went shopping, we ran into Kiba and Akamaru and we ended up having lunch with everyone." Hisoka explained simply. "They're a little weird sometimes but they're fun."

Akina raised an eyebrow as she looked at her future stepdaughter before nestling against Naruto's arm. "How many of them promote vandalism?" Akina questioned.

"A couple of them promote ditching class." Naruto corrected. "I'm the one Hisoka got painting the Hokage Monument from."

"Hi-chan!"

A squeal of excitement left the girl's lips as she suddenly released Kenji's hand and tackled a boy with dark hair and blank, dark eyes. "Yuki!" Hisoka cheered as she straddled the boy's stomach. "Guess what?"

"You've gained weight?" Yukimaru questioned patiently.

"Jerk! No, Daddy's girlfriend and her son are gonna live here in Konoha!"

"Great. Please get off of my stomach now. My parents are trying to talk Lady Hokage into letting me into the Academy since I technically meet all the requirements. My mom wants me to meet up with her at the shop."

Hisoka got off of the boy before answering, "They fixed your eyes?"

Yukimaru sighed softly. "No, but a shinobi doesn't necessarily need their eyes. The enemy doesn't expect a blind shinobi so if they throw smoke bombs, it's not going to matter."

Akina pursed her lips as she looked at the boy before realizing that Hisoka didn't looked thrilled. "Eyes help, Yu-kun." Hisoka pressed softly. "I don't want you to get hurt. You're my best friend and I don't want to lose another friend. Maybe the Inuzuka clan will let you have a dog-nin."

"Eyes can be deceived, Hi-chan, and Dad doesn't want a dog." Yukimaru touched Hisoka's cheek and stroked the side of her face. "Don't worry. We're best friends, right? People are already saying you're a mini-Kushina so I know you won't let anybody mess with me. Besides, if your idea works then my eyes will be somewhat fixed."

"Yeah!" Hisoka took the boy's hand and pulled him over to the group. "Yuki, this is Kenji," she pulled Kenji closer so Yukimaru could feel the other boy's face, "and this is his mom, Akina."

Akina smiled pleasantly as she knelt down in front of the boy, feeling his fingers lightly brushing over her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Yukimaru said pleasantly. "Hello, Naruto-san."

"Hey, Yuki. Are you going to join us for a meal?" Naruto questioned.

"I'm afraid I can't. My mother's expecting me at the shop."

"Okay. Tell your mom I said hi."

"I will. See you later, Hi-chan."

"Bye, Yu-kun!"

Naruto patted his daughter on the head as they watched Yukimaru expertly weave through the crowd to his mother's shop. "He seems like a nice boy." Akina commented lightly.

"He is. Daddy and Shika thought we'd get along real good so they started setting up playtime for us."

"And look how sociable you turned out." Naruto teased.

"I'm mostly around grownups!" Hisoka protested. "There are usually no kids to play with!"

"Kenji's here now and there's usually a kid or two in one of the clans that you get along with."

"So what exactly do you plan on doing to 'fix' Yukimaru's eyes?" Akina questioned.

"I'm gonna put Bijuu chakra in his eyes when I figure out how to do it." Hisoka responded simply. "Ni-chan's chakra always moves more when he's around so I think Ni-chan's chakra will be okay for him."

Hisoka blew her bangs out of her eyes as she took Kenji by the hand and grinned when she saw the familiar group. Waving, she pulled the boy with her as Naruto and Akina walked behind them with small smiles on their faces. "Nervous?" Naruto questioned.

"A little. What if they don't like me?"

"Just stand your ground and you'll do fine."

Anxiety filled the woman as they joined up with the group of shinobi, her eyes immediately falling on two familiar women. "Sakura-san. Hinata-san." Akina said pleasantly. "It's good to see you two again."

"Hello, Akina-san." Hinata said pleasantly.

Within ten minutes, introductions were made and the group was exchanging stories while waiting for their meals. Akina knew that some of them were staring at her stump of an arm but she paid them no mind. "So how'd that happen?" Kiba asked finally unable to withhold the question. "Your arm, I mean. Mission gone wrong?"

"Akatsuki. I was one of the shinobi stationed at the gate when they attacked." Akina responded.

There was a feel of embarrassment in the air before the subject was changed. "So, Akina-san," Ino said with a small smile, "where are you staying right now?"

"Naruto's being kind enough to open his home to Kenji and myself." She smiled softly as she watched Kenji and Hisoka poke each other's foreheads in some little game they had invented.

"Yeah, Naruto's a good guy. We were all surprised when he and Hinata called their relationship quits." Ino commenting, noticing how Hinata and Naruto turned red. "You two are together again?"

"No," they responded quickly.

Naruto and Hinata had dated once? As if sensing possibly dangerous waters, Naruto said quickly, "We dated very briefly about two years ago then decided we were better off as friends."

"Kiba-kun and I are dating now." Hinata said with a small blush.

The Inuzuka grinned slightly before answering, "Everybody's paired up with someone, Naruto. You're gonna have to find a woman that's not scared shitless of your girl."

Hisoka stared blankly at Kiba before looking at her father with a questioning look. "I _know_ we've had this discussion so don't ask or even start." Naruto warned his daughter.

"I wasn't. I was just gonna say that Akina isn't scared of me and you two are together."

Silence hung over the table for a moment before the couple found themselves being bombarded with questions. "So something _did_ happen when you two went on that date." Sakura said with a laugh.

"You knew?" Ino demanded as she glared at her pink-haired friend. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not my business to be spreading around."

Suddenly Naruto grinned at TenTen. "So how's the baby doing? You and pregnancy are working well together cause you're glowing!" Naruto said in an attempt to direct the conversation away from him and Akina.

TenTen blushed slightly. "The baby's doing fine. Neji and I are trying to find a unisex name we both like."

"Hey! I did that with Hi-Hi and look and the pretty name I came up with at the top of my head."

Sakura took a drink of her sake. "Most of us weren't taught by perverts, Naruto. I'm impressed you gave your girl a _decent_ name that doesn't make her sound like a prostitute."

"Hey! I thought it worked out since the only reason I gave her that name in the first place was because I didn't know if she was a boy or a girl. I didn't think that it'd be fitting cause I didn't know she was my kid or that she even existed!"

As Kenji and Hisoka watched the adults, they found themselves praying that they never turned out as weird. "I think you're right." Kenji whispered in Hisoka's ear.

"See? If you keep me from getting that weird, I'll keep you from getting weird. Deal?"

"Deal."

"So how serious are you two?" Chouji questioned, his mouth already full of barbeque.

Akina and Naruto glanced at each other, silently asking if they should spill the beans. Nodding slightly in agreement, the two smiled a bit. "We're actually engaged." Naruto said finally.

A round of congratulations were given to the couple before they found themselves explaining how they had met. "So basically your daughter lands herself in the hospital yet again and you meet a woman?" Kiba questioned with a look of envy. "I thought dogs were chick magnets but I guess danger prone kids are chick magnets too!"

"Actually, it was because Kenji and Hisoka decided to be friends that Naruto and I even got to talk a little." Akina said with a small blush. "Being Hisoka's doctor probably helped a little."

Hisoka beamed as she hugged the woman's arm before answering, "So you're going to be my mom too?"

"Yep, just like your dad is going to be Kenji's dad."

Kenji stared for a moment before nodding slightly in understanding. He had suspected from the beginning that his mother and Naruto would end up married but he hadn't thought that it would happen so soon. He stared quietly at Hisoka for a moment before answering, "That means I'm gonna be your big brother, Hi-chan, cause I'm older by a little bit."

"So? We're the same age anyway." Hisoka suddenly looked thoughtful. "Daddy, does that mean Sasuke-teme's gotta stay away from Kenji too?"

The light mood shifted over to a slightly heavier mood at the mention of the Uchiha. "Let's just focus on having a good time and let the grownups worry about Sasuke." Naruto told his daughter.

Wrinkling her nose slightly in the response, Hisoka nodded slightly. "So how exactly are you gonna handle _two_ kids when most days you're having problems with the one?" Kiba asked with a grin. "Your attention span sucks so bad your daughter is more responsible."

"Hey! I'm a responsible parent!"

"So, Kenji, what grade are you in at school?" Shikamaru questioned deciding to draw attention away from the impending fight between Naruto and Kiba.

Unsure if the Academy in Suna was the same as the one in Konoha, Kenji just began describing what he already knew how to do and what he had been learning hoping desperately that there wasn't much of a difference between the two.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

It was cute watching them try to walk back to the apartment while struggling to stay awake. Every so often she'd see one of them start to doze while walking only to jerk awake. "You sure you guys don't want to be carried?" Naruto questioned patiently.

"M'kay." Hisoka lifted her arms and breathed softly in content when Naruto picked her up.

"Me too." Kenji surrendered with a huge yawn.

Naruto chuckled softly as he scooped the boy into his other arm and resumed walking with Akina next to him. "That was fun. I can see why your friends are so willing to take Hisoka for a couple of hours." Akina said with a soft smile.

"Yeah. They like you. Within the first minute of Hinata and I announcing we were seeing each other, Neji made a dozen threats that involved castration and destroying every chakra point in my entire body if I did anything to make Hinata cry." Naruto said with a nervous chuckle. "He about went through with it too when we broke up."

"Be grateful I don't have anything to do with my family anymore." Akina told him. "I'm surprised your friends and the kids took the news of our engagement so easily."

"I'm surprised Kiba didn't start asking if we've slept together."

The woman laughed softly as she slipped her hand into Naruto's pocket and took the apartment keys from him. "Since you've got our charming munchkins." Akina said lightly as she jingled the keys.

"I'll make a copy of the key for you." Naruto told her. "We can go to the store tomorrow since I'm fairly certain we're gonna need more food if Kenji's appetite is still anything like Hi-Hi's."

"Sounds like a plan." Akina sighed softly. "I want to meet him, Naruto. I want to meet that Sasuke character."

"Yeah, I thought you might after hearing what happened. Just promise me you won't beat him to death cause it'd be like beating the shit out of a civilian right now."

Akina raised an eyebrow as she unlocked the apartment door and opened it for him. "You're serious? Your Hokage," she paused a moment, "_our_ Hokage decided to simply let him off?"

"Hisoka begged the Council. From the moment I found her, I automatically started teaching her to forgive but never to forget." Naruto rested his cheek against his daughter's head as Akina carefully removed the children's shoes after locking the door behind them. "Sooner or later I know I'm gonna let the bastard around Hisoka but I know he's never going to be alone with her."

Akina's eyes were soft as she followed Naruto into the children's room and helped him get the two children into their pajamas. "I've got to agree. He will never be near our daughter _or son_ without somebody watching. I just have one condition." Akina said with a sigh.

"What?"

"Don't let that psycho in green that declared Neji his eternal rival be the one supervising."

Laughing softly as he softly pulled the woman out of the room, Naruto smiled at her. "Agreed." Naruto said softly. "Now, I believe you and I were going to have our own little welcome home celebration."

"I believe so but it requires a certain dress code."

"Oh?"

"Follow me, Uzumaki-san, and I'll show you."

Grinning widely as he was pulled into their bedroom, Naruto distantly wondered if falling hard for redheads just wasn't truly a Namikaze trait.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Not much to say although I hope I'm not the only one that found the "I'm sleepy but I'm going to try to walk home" scene cute. The whole chapter was kind of entertaining and fun to write but now I'm gonna vanisih until next week. Read and review!<p> 


	54. Chapter 54

lostmoonchild: Konbanwa! Thanks for the reviews! I'm sitting here watching "Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" while updating so I'm one content authoress at the moment. So we're now winding down to the last few chapters (there is now four left unless I decide to add something) so I'm trying trying to figure out a few things. Anyway, here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Four<p>

A mistake had been made and it was one that he was going to remedy one way or another. He had allowed himself to believe that a child was harmless, not fully realizing that he hadn't been dealing with an inbred child. What's more, he had allowed himself to believe that he couldn't be defeated by the Kyuubi no Youko Jinchuuriki and Sasuke.

Cold eyes that reflected no warmth within the living body stared up at the moon. It wouldn't be impossible to seal the fox demon in a pot or something until he had collected the Bijuu once more. If he expected to do such a thing, however, he would need to do the one thing he had neglected to do when he attempted to trick the Kairi family into assisting him.

He would need to destroy the only living key.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

_In his cage, Kyuubi shifted around restlessly. Something terribly wrong was brewing in the distance and he had a distinct feeling it wouldn't end well for anybody if it were allowed to boil over. Whatever it was needed to be stopped immediately or else all hell was literally going to break loose._

_The demon growled softly in frustration as he traced a claw lightly against one of the bars, knowing full well he was safe inside Naruto. All the Bijuu would remain safe as long as they were hidden and their hosts remained anonymous. As long as those conditions were being met then they had nothing to fear._

_Then why was he still worried? Was it because it was common knowledge that Naruto was his Jinchuuriki? It wasn't like the boy was defenseless seeing as he had a whole arsenal of jutsu tucked up his sleeves. No, he was just worrying for nothing. He had to be. Madara Uchiha was dead and that other Uchiha brat was essentially useless._

What if Uchiha Madara isn't dead?_ Kyuubi shook the thought from his head. The insane Uchiha was dead and there was no getting around it. There was just no way in hell anybody could come back from the dead without a little help from Nibi or the Death God!_

_Closing his eyes and snarling softly in irritation, Kyuubi grumbled softly to himself as he felt a harder tug on his chakra. Whatever it was that was brewing in the distance, the kit could feel it on a subconscious level and was apparently storing away enough demonic chakra to pack a wallop. He just pitied the poor bastard that ended up on the receiving end._

_The demon raised his head when he felt the hard tugs on his chakra suddenly soften, a grin spreading across his face. Ah, so the kit realized something was going on too. If he was right, she was about to do something to help make sure that nothing happened to them._

_He knew he couldn't have been any prouder even if he tried. It was just amusing to watch as everything his idiot host had deemed worthy of passing on to the kit ended up getting used to either cause trouble or serve as a possible defense. He was just curious as to what the kit would use to write the seals out if she was indeed doing what he suspected she was about to do._

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Dark eyes stared out into the night, pale skin glowing in the soft moonlight. Uchiha Sasuke had no words to describe the feeling of anxiety that was currently serving as a rock in his gut and while he was tempted to see if that blonde idiot he called a rival had any bad feelings as well, he knew that the girl was back in Konoha.

He'd have to wait until the girl was in school before he caught up to Naruto. A nagging feeling told him that something wasn't completely right but he couldn't figure out what. Madara was dead and so was Danzou so what in the hell was going on? Was he just finally losing it?

No, he was sane even if he did have to have mandatory surprise psych evaluations, which involved Inoichi going into his head whenever the blonde felt like it. As much as it pissed him off, Sasuke knew he'd have to put up with it until he regained his title as a shinobi.

Closing his eyes, Sasuke allowed his thoughts to wander. It was instinctive, his hate for the Kairi girl and he had discovered that his family hadn't been the only one to hate the Kairi clan. The Senju and Uzumaki clans had each held a hate for the Kairi clan that was returned with full enthusiasm. He supposed, however, if Naruto could ignore the automatic hate and choose instead to love the child, he could grow to tolerate the child's presence. Whether he liked it or not, they shared a village and his rival just happened to be the girl's father.

If Inoichi decided to go through his head anytime soon, Sasuke was fairly certain the man would uncover his own resolve. Hell, maybe he'd even discuss it with that irritating excuse of a Hokage and the dobe. He just didn't want to be left alone with the brat no matter what the circumstances.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He needed to hide the scrolls better.

Gray eyes peered around the silent kitchen as Hisoka carefully climbed onto the counter with full intentions on grabbing the scrolls that were hidden away in a cabinet. She knew that unless she was about to die of shock or was about to face a reanimated Orochimaru, she was never to touch the scrolls. Unfortunately something told her that she needed to make sure she had some of the chakra sealed away in the nine scrolls tucked into another scroll she could carry around on her own person.

On a good day when her chakra levels were steady, she required about half of the chakra that had been put into one seal at least once every two weeks now so no one would notice immediately. One bad day she needed almost two shots of chakra just to survive until everything had stabilized. In a sense, Hisoka figured her father should have been happy that she knew where to find the scrolls incase she felt the Bijuu chakra reaching dangerous levels.

Quietly taking the scroll marked 'one' from the small pile of scrolls, Hisoka quietly closed the cabinet and slipped off the counter. A child of a shinobi must be well versed in stealth as well as various other aspects in becoming a shinobi. _"You're gonna get into trouble. What if they think you're going to do something bad?"_ A whimpering voice whispered in her mind. _"They can kill you before the time's up if they decide you're going to be bad!"_

Hisoka quietly put her shoes on and unlocked the door, knowing that no one in their right mind would suspect going out the door. Shinobi always seemed to have this compulsion that centered on avoiding doors so no one would think to watch the doors. _"Think about what we're doing!"_ The voice pleaded again.

_We? You're the one freaking out because we're doing something to protect the village!_ Hisoka scolded the voice as she darted through the streets knowing that somebody was watching her to see what she was up to. She didn't know what she was protecting the village from but it was clearly enough to send all the Bijuu into fits of anxiety. Soon the reports would be coming in and the Jinchuuriki would all be gathering here to-

The girl froze, her heart suddenly racing as the memory of her mother's memory surfaced. Despite having her mother's memories sealed away, the ones that she had seen were still embedded into her mind. _"No! No one would dare tear out the Bijuu from everybody!"_ The voice screamed as the child began running as fast as she could. _"He said that Madara is dead! That time with Kabuto was a mistake! Daddy didn't know he was still alive!"_

_Then how do you explain it? No one but the Uchiha and Senju clans make the Bijuu so nervous! Sasuke's too scared of Kyuu-chan to even dare cause everyone knows he's not strong enough to spook Kyuu-chan._ Hisoka skidded to a stop and crawled into her hiding place before spreading out the large scroll until she had reached the final seal.

"_Tell Daddy then!"_

_No!_ Biting her finger, the girl watched as blood formed from the bite before she began drawing out the new seal on the blank paper of the smaller scroll. Some part of her knew that her father would wish he hadn't taught her how to do simple sealing but another part realized that if he hadn't been faced with the knowledge that he wouldn't always be near her, he wouldn't have even bothered teaching her until she was older. "Release." Her whisper almost sounded like a shout in the silence and the Bijuu's chakra felt like dirt against her skin as it brushed against her. Applying chakra to the blood seal, Hisoka concentrated. "Seal."

Immediately the chakra vanished into the seal and for the next half an hour the girl worked carefully. When she had finished, she packed the scrolls away into her bag and slipped back to the apartment. No sooner had she put the scroll back with the other scrolls and had gotten back into her room did she hear somebody from her father's room stirring. Quickly changing back into her pajamas, Hisoka buried herself under the blankets and closed her eyes carefully concentrating on keeping her breaths deep and even.

Sometime before the sound of the bedroom door closing again reached her ears, Hisoka fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: So since I'm not feeling too hot I'm gonna finish updating then I'm gonna probably wander off to bed. So read and review cause reviews make Cuddles (the kitten now sleeping on my arm) very happy and less likely to attack my head.<p> 


	55. Chapter 55

lostmoonchild: Ohayo! Thanks for the review! Okay, so you guys remember me telling you that there was a chapter that made me grin cause it's Sasuke abuse? Well, this is it. So it's about eight in the morning here and the only reason I'm up this early is cause I'm trying to update before my friend comes and helps me move out so that'll be fun... maybe. Anyway, here's this week's update!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Five<p>

He had been told to stay three hundred yards away from Hisoka and he was approximately three hundred and seven yards away from the girl. He was just waiting for her to get a safe distance away from the apartment with that boy before he went in and talked to Naruto. Then they could attempt to figure out what in the hell was going on that felt wrong.

When the girl had vanished from sight, Sasuke slipped into the apartment and yelled in surprise when he was suddenly hit with a frying pan. "Who the hell are you?" A woman with auburn hair screamed at him. "Naruto! There's some bastard breaking into the apartment!"

"Knock it off, you crazy bitch!" Sasuke shouted back as he avoided another blow to the head. "Dobe!"

Naruto came running into the living room and fell against the wall laughing as he stared at the scene before him. "It's okay, Akina. I know him." Naruto laughed. "That's Sasuke Uchiha."

_Twang! Thud._

Sasuke fell onto the floor and glared up at the woman as he rubbed the growing lump on his head. "The hell was that for? The dobe just said who I am!" Sasuke shouted at the woman.

Akina twirled the frying pan before answering, "I know. That's why I hit you again."

There was a hidden sadistic look in her eyes as Akina smiled at him, her entire body language telling him not to make a wrong move or else he was going to get hit again. "Akina, don't give him a concussion." Naruto chuckled as he gently pried the frying pan away from the woman.

"It's tempting." Akina reminded the blonde.

"What are you doing here, teme?" Naruto questioned finally focusing his attention on the raven.

Sasuke slowly got off the ground, making sure to stay out of reach of the insane woman. "I need to talk to you." Sasuke told him.

"Obviously if you're willing to sneak into the house instead of going through the door like a sane person." Naruto replied with a grin.

Akina glanced between the two men before sighing to herself. "I'm gonna make some tea. Would you like some, Uchiha-san?" There was a smile on her face that told Sasuke he'd better be careful how he replied.

"If I say yes, are you going to poison it?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"I'm a medic. I took a vow to cause no harm to any human. Thankfully you don't qualify as human to me so we're good." Akina replied smoothly as she slipped into the kitchen.

Sasuke gave the blonde a look that clearly demanded to know if he was serious. "Please tell me you're not planning on dating that." Sasuke said with a frown.

"Yep."

"Did all those blows to the head mess up your brain? She hit me with a _frying pan_ twice then basically said she'd do something to my tea. You're seriously dating that?"

"Be nice. If you don't want to get beaten up by Akina then go through the damn door." Naruto told him. "Now what do we owe this visit?"

Sasuke sighed softly before answering, "I don't think we succeeded in killing Madara."

Naruto stared blankly for a minute before answering, "Sasuke, he's as dead as he's going to get. Nobody survives a Chidori and Bijuu Rasengan."

"Nobody survives Amaterasu either and he did." Sasuke responded. "Something isn't right, Dobe, and you can feel it but you're too busy trying to play family that you're ignoring your gut."

"What makes you think that Madara Uchiha's alive? Is there even any hardcore proof?"

How in the world did he explain what his gut was saying when he was fairly certain that the idiot could feel it in his own gut? "What happened to the knucklehead that didn't wait for proof before jumping in?" Sasuke questioned patiently. "I'm willing to bet even the Kyuubi can feel it and that soon, there's going be letters to that violent Hokage and maybe even a few visits from the Jinchuuriki wanting to make sure that little girl of yours is safe or wanting protection."

"_Hate to admit it, but the bastard's right."_ Kyuubi grumbled. _"The ones that were abandoned by their host's village won't be so eager to trust the leaders for protection. It won't matter if their hosts are secret to the rest of the world or not."_

Great. "How certain are you?" Naruto asked finally.

"As certain as the knowledge that those books Kakashi reads are porn." Sasuke gave the blonde a weary look. "If I were you, dobe, I'd be figuring out how to keep the Kyuubi from attacking the village again."

"_The Uchiha bastard controls me and it's _my_ fault the village got destroyed?"_ Kyuubi shouted. _"That's complete bullshit! Yes, I'd like to wreck your village but on my own terms!"_

_As if that's going to convince anybody to let you run around without supervision._ Naruto thought darkly. "It's not going to happen again, teme." Naruto said with absolute conviction. "I don't care if every bone in my body is broken, I will _not_ allow anybody to take Kyuubi from me."

Even as the words left his lips, Naruto could feel a twisting anxiety in his gut. "Even so," said Sasuke as Akina brought out the tea, "how are we going to keep anything from happening?"

"I think," Akina said as she served them tea, "that you two idiots need to first make it clear where your relationship will stand then let Lady Hokage know. Then you two idiots can start figuring out how in the hell you're going to keep some major disaster that may not happen from even happening."

"_Gaki."_

_What, teme?_

"_Two things. One, never piss her off when she has access to a frying pan. You may have to drag the Uchiha to Sakura to check for a concussion."_

_So what's the second thing?_

"_Don't die or your corpse will be beaten by at least two women."_

Gulping slightly at the warning, Naruto offered Akina a grin. "Well, me and Sasuke are gonna go chat and figure out what we're gonna do." Naruto quickly got up and pulled the Uchiha to his feet. "C'mon, teme."

The two men rushed out of the apartment and down the street before Naruto relaxed enough. "You had to choose somebody that's even more terrifying than Sakura when she's having her period." Sasuke said flatly.

"Honestly, teme, I had to choose a redhead." Naruto responded with a grin. "Speaking of Sakura, though, we're going to go see her."

"Why?"

"Two bashes to the head with a frying pan is bound to give you a concussion."

Before he could protest, Sasuke found himself being dragged to where he suspected Sakura was staying.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"So who did this happen again?" Sakura questioned as she healed the bumps on Sasuke's head.

"Sasuke and Akina met." Naruto said simply as he flipped through a magazine. "She happened to have been washing up a frying pan and spotted him entering through the window so she bashed him one. They yelled at each other, I came in and told Akina who Sasuke was, then she hit him again."

On the one hand Sakura could find humor in the whole situation but on the other hand, she knew she should have made Akina heal up the damage she had caused. "Well, it's not a full concussion. There's a hairline fracture from the second hit." Sakura informed the two men.

"Dobe…"

"Don't be a baby about it." Sakura told the Uchiha calmly. "It's healed up but I suggest that you use the door when you go to visit Naruto."

Glaring slightly at Naruto as if it were the blonde's fault, Sasuke huffed slightly in irritation. "You had to choose a woman with a temper." Sasuke grumbled. "How in the hell did you two meet anyway?"

"She's a medic and Hisoka was in the hospital. It was bound to happen."

Having the distinct feeling that he was going to essentially be dealing with a guard dog any time he wanted to talk to Naruto, Sasuke sighed to himself. From now on, he supposed, he'd just have to either bring a peace offering or duck if he wanted to avoid a broken neck or bashed in skull. "At least you're not marrying the psycho." Sasuke grumbled.

A pause forced the Uchiha to look at the blonde in disbelief. "I love that look." Sakura laughed as she watched Sasuke.

"You can't be serious! She's violent!"

"She's got personality."

"So does a rabid animal!"

"Careful. She's gonna be the mother of my kids."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde before answering, "You reproducing once is scary enough but now you're planning on reproducing again?"

"At least once more. It depends on how many Akina wants to have seeing as there's already two kids living with us."

The more time he spent around Naruto today, the better being wiped out by Madara seemed to be getting. "Great," he grumbled. "Just fuckin' great."

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Yeah, I'm still grinning over the whole chapter and I really don't see Sasuke and Akina having a real great relationship. So I'm gonna vanish so I can get stuff finished up so I'll see everybody next week! Read and review!<p> 


	56. Chapter 56

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! I'm sooo happy today cause I got moved and settled in okay and just found out today that I scored a job! It's part time so I'm hoping it won't mess with my updating but everybody that's been following the story for the past year knows that it might. Anyway, here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or "You're Not Alone" so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Six<p>

The air was filled with a sense of urgency a month later as every civilian and shinobi in training were moved into hiding. "Why do we have to sit here?" One of the students asked. "What's going on?"

"It's okay. We'll be okay."

"Are we under attack?"

"Not yet."

Hisoka glanced over to the group of orphans, seeing that a boy no more than four was silently crying. Glancing at Iruka, she slipped from her classmates and sat in front of him. "What's wrong?" Hisoka questioned softly.

"I'm scared." The boy whimpered as he wiped away his tears.

Surprise crossed his features when Hisoka suddenly moved him onto her lap and began rocking him, brushing her hand over his head. "It's okay. When I was locked up in a bad place, there was a lady that had a lullaby she'd sing." Hisoka told him. "I remember it. Do you wanna hear it?"

The boy nodded slightly and nestled against the little girl as she began to sing softly to him.

_**Lost in darkest blue  
>endless labyrinths weaving through<br>will you stagger on  
>with no star to light your way?<br>Share with me your tears  
>all your troubles and deepest fears<br>I remember when  
>you chased all my shadows away.<strong>_

They were drawing nearer and nearer to Konoha despite knowing that they would die if they had gotten caught. Despite being from different villages, one thing connected them and it was that connection that was urging them to go ahead. This was not only a battle between a man and his village; this was a battle between a man with the hateful eyes and the Bijuu.

_**Won't you take my hand?  
><strong>__**Come away with me from this land  
>let me give to you<br>all that you have given to me  
>fly horizon bound<br>find the moon behind darkening clouds.  
><strong>__**Even far apart  
>know our souls together will be.<strong>_

Naruto glanced over at Akina, seeing the hardened expression on the kunoichi's face. Was this how his parents had faced Kyuubi when he had been born? Had they spent the final moments of their lives fighting together against Kyuubi? _Except this time, Kyuubi's safely tucked away in me._ Naruto thought as his and Akina's hands slipped together. "Just so you know," said Naruto, "I love you."

"You're an idiot. Don't you know it's bad luck to say 'I love you' before a fight?" Akina questioned.

"Nope."

_**When the storm draws nigh  
><strong>__**Dreams will shatter before your eyes  
><strong>__**Know that you're not alone  
><strong>__**When the battle starts  
><strong>__**I will comfort your restless heart  
><strong>__**You'll know that you are home.  
><strong>__**When your stars stop shining  
><strong>__**Endless vines around you winding  
><strong>__**Know that you're not alone  
><strong>__**I will give my all  
><strong>__**So your tears will no longer fall  
><strong>__**Down, down on sorrow's stone.**_

Kakashi was silent as he stared at the Memorial Stone, thinking about how things had changed so much. So many dreams broken only for new ones to be brought to life. His students, once so young and foolish now trained and deadly shinobi taking the first steps for what they wanted.

He smiled softly as he remembered when he had once brought Hisoka to the Memorial Stone with him. She had looked at him for a moment before hugging him tightly. "Obito. Rin." Kakashi said softly. "I think it's okay now. Konoha won't fall to Madara. Some names may be added to yours, but there will always be more to stand up and defend our village."

_**Look into my eyes  
><strong>__**All eternity you will find  
><strong>__**In this fragile heart,  
><strong>__**Know that you will always belong.  
><strong>__**Shout into the night  
><strong>__**Show the darkness that you will fight  
><strong>__**Hopeless you may feel  
><strong>__**But inside I know you are strong.**_

Kenji stared at his future stepsister and saw the calming look in her eyes as she continued to stroke the little boy's hair. Others were listening to her song and apparently taking great comfort in the words she offered. They were all strong and it was that strength that would keep Konoha from ever truly falling to any enemy. Even if the shinobi fell and all that remained were the civilians, all it took was one person to believe and all would continue fighting for what they knew was rightfully theirs.

_**Keep me in your heart  
><strong>__**So we'll never be far apart  
><strong>__**Let the bonds of love  
><strong>__**Break these chains imprisoning you  
><strong>__**Always you will find  
><strong>__**Shadows lingering close behind  
><strong>__**Lift your spirits now,  
><strong>__**We shall be together soon.**_

_Soft growls left Kyuubi's lips as he shifted around his cage, his thoughts resting on his Dark Temptation. There were no words to accurately describe what he would do just to ensure that one child continued or how much he despised the Uchiha clan for their willingness to destroy that which they required._

_He knew he had a hateful nature and when he had first realized that he was beginning to love his idiot host, he had been outraged. When it came time to leave the blonde, Kyuubi knew he would mourn but he also knew that he would forever carry a part of the blonde within his heart. When he returned to his Dark Temptation, he knew that they would always be together._

_**When the storm draws nigh  
><strong>__**Dreams will shatter before your eyes  
><strong>__**Know that you're not alone  
><strong>__**When the battle starts  
><strong>__**I will comfort your restless heart  
><strong>__**You'll know that you are home.**_

The silence that was almost smothering the shinobi that lay in wait suddenly shattered as the battle began with a large explosion. Adrenaline began pumping through the various shinobi as they moved into defensive positioning, determined to keep the Uchiha from getting anywhere inside the village.

No matter what would happen this night, they would without a doubt protect their village even if it cost them their lives.

_**When your stars stop shining  
><strong>__**Endless vines around you winding  
><strong>__**Know that you're not alone  
><strong>__**I will give my all  
><strong>__**So your tears will no longer fall  
><strong>__**Down, down on sorrow's stone.  
><strong>__**Know that you're not alone**_

Naruto blocked the flying kunai and responded with an attack of his own, his pupils slit as red leaked into the blue irises. "Bastard!" Naruto shouted when Madara made an attempt to flee.

"Naruto, don't!" Sasuke shouted.

Ignoring the Uchiha, Naruto chased after Madara determined to ensure that the man never again raised any form of hell in the village or anywhere else. Suddenly, the man skidded to a stop and seemed to radiate an aura of smugness as if he knew something that Naruto didn't. "The Uzumaki clan was rightfully feared for their sealing abilities." Madara said with a cold grin as he made a hand sign.

Naruto stepped back, his heart beginning to race. Before he could escape, a bright light surrounded him and as the world faded into darkness, he could hear Madara finish: "Except the Kairi family had a way to get the Bijuu."

In the hideout within the Hokage Monument, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the darkness.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Okay, so I'm tired but I can't sleep yet. I highly recommend listening to "You're Not Alone" by Katethegreat19 on Youtube since it's such a beautiful song. Honestly couldn't help but put it in the story for this part since so many parts of the song either fit one character or the beliefs of the village. Anyway, read and review!<p> 


	57. Chapter 57

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review! Okay, so next week will be the last chapter then I'll actually have to get my butt moving with the next story's details. So far I think all it's gonna be known as is "Unknown Bonds" but I haven't decided yet when it's going to be posted. So anyway, here's this week's chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Six<p>

It was blinding, this white hot pain. He almost couldn't breathe, couldn't think through its haze. This wasn't safe. This place, wherever it was he was now, was not the place he had been before.

This place was hell. Breathing hurt almost as much as thinking and to feel his heart beating within his chest was nothing short of torture. It felt as if someone were skinning him alive and pouring salt onto the bleeding and skinned wounds.

Distantly he could hear Naruto's own screams and twisted around in a desperate attempt to find the blonde. He couldn't allow himself to be torn from Naruto. The blonde may have had at ten minutes tops of surviving his extraction but the blonde would ultimately die. He couldn't allow that. The kit, their precious kit, had no living relatives and would be sent away to Suna. Akina wasn't legally married yet to the blonde and wouldn't be able to be the child's caregiver.

With a cry that reminding him of a wounded kit, Kyuubi felt another flash of white-hot pain shooting through his body

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Gods let her die!

Hisoka's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she arched her back, screams leaving her lips as she felt the burning chakra raging throughout her body. "Something's happening!" She distantly heard somebody shout.

"Get a medic!"

"He's taking Kyuubi!" Hisoka screeched, the blood vessels in the whites of her eyes popping. "He's killing Daddy!"

Her body seemed to move on its own as she fought to get out of the hideout, to get to Kyuubi and her father. Without thinking, she willed one of her chakra creatures to form and climbed on as it fled from the hideout. She didn't know if her plan would work but she was going to make things right even if it meant giving up her own life.

After all, she was kunoichi in training for Fire Country's Konoha.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Lady Hokage! Something's happened!"

Tsunade turned and saw the ANBU member standing with stress and anxiety radiating. "What happened?" Tsunade demanded.

"Uchiha Madara got his hands on Naruto. We've been making attempts to get to them and stop the extraction but all attempts are proving useless. The Kyuubi appears to be fighting the extraction and trying to stay within Naruto but we don't know how much longer it can hold on."

Tsunade cursed as she looked out the window, seeing the light in the distance. How in the hell did that happen? "Also, we've received reports that Uzumaki Hisoka has realized what is happening. She was screaming and had just escaped after causing very minor injuries to the shinobi stationed within the Monument."

Damn it! "Where is she now?" Tsunade demanded.

"On her way to the site."

Without saying a word, the woman fled the office determined to stop the child from getting involved with anything dangerous.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

"Hisoka Uzumaki!"

Hisoka froze as she heard Tsunade shout at her, her heart skipping a beat as the furious Hokage stormed towards her. "Get your little ass back to where it belongs right this instant!" Tsunade shouted at her.

"I need to help Daddy! The man's killing him!" Hisoka screamed.

"Are you disobeying me?"

Fear pounded through the child, experience telling her that the twitching of Tsunade's brow was never a good sign. "I can help!"

"Go before I kick your little ass back there myself!"

As Hokage, Tsuande knew she shouldn't have been threatening a child but she was keeping in mind that Hisoka would without a doubt act exactly like her father and grandparents. "I can't." Hisoka told her.

"And why not?"

A cry left the girl's lips as she gripped her abdomen tightly, her pain-filled eyes wide and panicked. Tsunade stepped back as the dark gray tendrils of chakra left the child, wrapping around her as if they were tails. "I made Juu-san's chakra." Hisoka sobbed as it began growing in size. "Juu-san isn't here to supply the chakra naturally so it needs me to keep making it. Gomen. Gomen."

Tsunade adopted a defensive stance as a glaring red eye formed while the chakra formed a misshapen creature. "Hisoka!" Tsunade shouted as the child and creature took off towards the bright light. "Hisoka!"

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

He felt so weak it was almost unbearable.

Naruto fought against the exhaustion that claimed his body as he watched the newly extracted Kyuubi attempt to escape from Madara. He didn't understand why he was still alive but recalled that his mother had survived for a few minutes after Kyuubi had been stolen from her. How long would he have before he died? Would he have enough time to say goodbye to the people he loved?

The blonde gritted his teeth as he slowly forced his dying body from the ground. "Madara, you bastard!" Naruto shouted.

Immediately Kyuubi whipped around and bared its teeth at the blonde, telling all those that were watching that the demon was now under Madara's control. Swearing loudly as the group of shinobi retreated, they all knew that a plan would need to be devised if they expected to survive this night.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke turned his head and watched as Akina came running to them, grunting when she shoved him out of her way. "Hey. I got one beautiful girl now." Naruto said with a grin.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

A furious roar told everybody everything they needed to know before another roar reached their ears. "Not another one!" Shikamaru groaned in frustration. "Fuck!"

Did he have enough chakra to form a shadow clone? Could he do anything to defend his village even as he was dying? "Don't even think about it. We're gonna make it okay, Naruto. You're not going to die." Akina's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Naruto forced a smile. "I haven't made Hokage yet." Naruto chuckled. "I haven't even seen my girl graduate. I'm not ready to die."

It wouldn't matter if he was ready or not. Naruto was going to die in a few short minutes and he knew it. He just wasn't ready to say the words out loud in fear of making them real. "Kyuubi!" A voice screamed.

Naruto's eyes widened as a large demonic creature came barreling past them, its lips parted in a dangerous grin. It cut the large fox demon off, both creatures growling at each other. "I'm not gonna let you kill them!" Hisoka screamed. "You're mine, Kyuu-chan!"

Another angry growl left Kyuubi's lips as his fur bristled at the sight of the child. "Do you really think that he cares?" Madara questioned calmly as he looked at the child. "Tell me, how did you get the Juubi without the Kyuubi?"

"This is nothing. Juu-san is nothing compared to what's really waiting to be awakened." Hisoka kept her eyes focused on the Uchiha as the demonic creature stalked around him and Kyuubi. "Of course I can't wake it up on my own. It needs a certain… ability."

"Such as?"

"The Sharingan. I have everything set up over there."

Shikamaru stared at the child, seeing the small twitch near her right eye. He had often seen it when they played Shogi and she was trying to lure him into a trap. Just what in the hell was she planning? "Why tell me?" Madara questioned carefully.

Don't say it. Don't say it.

"Because-"

Do not say it.

"You are nothing-"

Dear gods she was going to actually say it.

"But a spineless-"

Lady Hokage, we have a problem.

"Stupid-"

Konoha, prepare for turbulence.

"Freak."

Madara's killing intent shot up as Kyuubi suddenly attacked the child, everyone's breath catching when the child's creature suddenly vanished without a trace and she started to fall only to get caught by Shichibi. A growl left Kyuubi's lips as he suddenly turned to the group only to find them getting whisked away by Gobi and Rokubi. "Nice to see you again, Tenchi and Rinku!" Naruto shouted wearily.

Sasuke shakily stood up as he quickly formed the proper hand signs before inhaling deeply and firing off several fireballs. Kyuubi dodged them, his teeth bared as his red eyes flashed with fury. "They're gaining on us!" Sakura shouted.

She jumped off of the demon's back and struck the ground as hard as she could before jumping back onto the demon's back. "This way!" A teenage girl with sandy blonde hair shouted.

"Mizuko!" Naruto said cheerfully. "You've gotten prettier. Nibi agrees with you apparently."

"Shut up, you half dead excuse of a man!" Mizuko snapped at him. "When this is over, you'd damn well better thank every one of the gods that made your daughter lucky enough to get her mother's brains!"

Shikamaru stared at the woman, noting with a shudder how cold she was. "Not to be a bitch but can we talk about this _after_ we're not being chased by a mind-controlled demon with a sociopath on his head?" Akina shouted.

"Uchiha! You'd better have a fucking good pain tolerance cause you're going to be bleeding in about five minutes!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed hatefully at the teenager before they were suddenly sent flying. A single glance told them that they had arrived in some kind of clearing and that Hisoka was sitting on the ground with a young man rubbing her back in a soothing manner. "Zuku! What's going on?" Naruto shouted as he stumbled over to his daughter with some help from Sakura and Sai.

"Creating Juubi's chakra from nine separate chakras is proving to be a little more dangerous than Hisoka-hime thought. She's getting sick." Zuku responded, his dark eyes holding concern. "Uzumaki-sama, you need to sit over there. Please, there's no time to waste."

Naruto touched his daughter's forehead and yelped when he felt the burning flesh against his hand. "Let the grownups handle this." Naruto told his daughter.

"No, Daddy. You need to sit there cause when Kyuu-chan and the Uchiha bastard get here, Kyuu-chan's gonna go back to you and the Uchiha-teme's gonna blow up."

He had no idea what in the hell she meant but as he found himself being pulled to the assigned spot, he realized that he was about to be sitting in a sealing circle. "Seriously?" Naruto shouted.

"Yes! Don't worry, you should only be dead for a minute!" Mizuko said cheerfully. "At least theoretically."

"What?" Naruto's voice went high at the sudden information. "This has never been tested?"

"Does it really look like we had fucking time or resources? In case you've forgotten, human experimentation is not only _immoral_ it's _illegal_!"

Sasuke suddenly yelped when a young man stabbed his hand and forced the blood into the carved grooves on the ground. "Don't worry, Sa-chan, if you stay out then you won't blow up too." Hisoka said cheerfully. "Nii-san, can you upset Kyuu-chan for me?"

Ichiru grinned before replying, "Happily."

Shifting over to Ichibi's form, the young man took off and within moments they could all hear the furious growls and sound of several trees being destroyed. "Well, you bunch of lame wad losers," said Kirimaru with a small frown as he felt Yonbi's chakra moving throughout his body, "it's been a real misfortune meeting the lot of you."

"All good things come to those whom are wise enough to send out good into the universe." Aito, Sanbi's Jinchuuriki, said patiently. "Sadly it would seem that you have not grasped the concept that Karma is indeed a force to be feared."

"Are you calling me stupid, you Zen freak?"

"Naturally."

Ichiru laughed as he suddenly came scrambling back to the clearing and quickly directed everyone where to go. "It's party time!" Ichiru laughed. "Let's dance!"

If all the Bijuu had chosen people that were insane to watch over them, then Shikamaru was more than convinced that the world as they knew, for lack of better terms, was royally fucked. There was just no way in hell the world was going to survive if every person entrusted with a Bijuu was insane.

Kyuubi came barreling out of the trees with Madara still on his head and as soon as they stepped into the grooved area, there was a loud explosion followed by the sounds of Naruto's screams and the angry roars of the Bijuu which was quickly followed by the sound of Uchiha Madara's final screams before nothing but silence held the area.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Yes, people are insane but sanity is so hard to come by. Anyway, I'd better finish getting ready for work since I successfully scared the living hell out of myself last night playing "Amnesia: Dark Descent" and its custom stories. I don't get scared easily but this game terrifies me so after twenty minutes I'm literally going "I don't wanna play anymore." or "I don't wanna go in there." Okay, so read and review! I should have more information on "Unknown Bonds" by next week to share with everybody.<p> 


	58. Chapter 58

lostmoonchild: Thanks for the review and sorry if the chapter was confusing. My brain scrambles around when it comes to fights (seriously hate that) so if there's anything somebody doesn't understand about a chapter then let me know and I'll happily answer any questions. Here's the final chapter and I'll give you guys the information for "Unknown Bonds" at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty Eight<p>

He was so nervous; he didn't even think that he had been so scared in his life. No, wait, he had been even more terrified when he thought that he had lost his daughter four years ago. Now that his dream had finally become a reality, he was going to be damned if that nightmare had ever repeated.

He had no recollection of what had happened after the explosion but from what he had heard from those that had been there, Madara had lost control of Kyuubi once they had stepped into the carved area. Once the demon was loose, all the other demons took control long enough to attack the Uchiha and ultimately turned him into a midnight snack before Kyuubi had been sealed back inside of the blonde.

According Akina, he had died for about three minutes before Mizuko was able to get him going again by using Nibi's chakra to drag his soul back from wherever it had been. By the time he was breathing again and Kyuubi was safely tucked away inside of him again, every surviving shinobi that was still capable of moving was in the area trying to stop those that had already been there from losing too much blood.

It had taken a month before he had woken up and it had taken about two months before he even felt even close to being back to normal. Shortly after waking up, however, he discovered that his daughter was in a coma and the odds of her ever waking up again were slim to none.

Like any true Uzumaki, Naruto noted with pride, his daughter had surprised everyone after almost six months. Granted it took Sasuke a week to leave the hospital after she had woken up but the Uchiha had borne the child no ill will. He had been more or less relieved that people could stop sulking and blaming themselves for what had happened.

Although Naruto deeply suspected that Sasuke finally getting laid was helping out considerably. Every time he saw Mizuko, she seemed to be a lot calmer but then she'd start screaming and yelling at whoever called their attention to it. A couple months later, the two announced their engagement and Mizuko was quickly transferred over to Konoha.

After that night, everyone he knew seemed to suddenly get their priorities straightened out and it seemed as if every month there was someone getting married or discovering that they were pregnant. Then they all started having babies of their own and seeming to enjoy the family scene.

It had taken almost two years but he and Akina had officially tied the knot only to discover they were pregnant shortly after. Eight months later, they welcomed their first daughter together into the world with plans to one day have another when Kenji and Hisoka were about ready to graduate from the Academy.

Now two years later, the blonde couldn't have been happier. Kenji and Hisoka were both now growing eleven year olds and due to graduate that following year, his and Akina's daughter, Kushina, was a happy little girl, Akina was pregnant again with twin boys, and his dream of becoming Hokage was finally coming true. "You're staring again, Daddy." Hisoka said with a grin.

"Trying to figure out how everything worked out." Naruto said as he playfully pulled his daughter's long, multicolored hair.

Hisoka playfully swatted his hands away before smoothing out the colored strands and attempting to blend them back in with her dark hair. "With great difficulty. It's a very good thing we're all stubborn." Akina teased as she fixed Naruto's orange robes. "Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, Konoha's Orange Hokage."

Naruto grinned brightly and looked outside as he heard Tsunade beginning to finish her speech. In a few short minutes, he and his family would step out and he'd be officially Konoha's Seventh Hokage. "Daddy, do you think Momma knew?" Hisoka questioned suddenly.

"Knew what?"

"That you'd be Hokage?"

If he looked out into the crowd, Naruto knew he wouldn't have been surprised if he saw Mishima watching with a smug look on her face. He didn't know how exactly, but he had the sneaking suspicion that she knew all along that he would become Hokage and that their daughter would be a Dark Temptation. "Probably. After all," he said with a grin as his name was called and he scooped up his youngest daughter, "she was always twenty steps ahead of everybody."

In a faraway cave, a single candle flickered as cold eyes peered around carefully. A russet-orange streak stood out against black hair as a young man in his mid-twenties slowly stretched his stiff muscles. Memories came flooding back to the man as he took several cautious steps towards the exit.

He had no knowledge of how much time had passed since the day he had been sealed away as if he were some kind of animal but he knew that he would get his revenge one way or another. After all, nobody could keep him away from what was rightfully his and he knew that there was no way possible anybody could ever hope to stop him. Before he could do anything, however, he needed to replenish his strength and come up with a way to destroy those that were marked for death.

But that's another story.

* * *

><p>lostmoonchild: Yeah, I dunno why this chapter's on the short side but oh well. Last chapter, I'm not fighting it. Okay so let's get to the "Unknown Bonds" story information. As of now I'm expecting the story to be up in a month once I get all the kinks out of it and I'm expecting that it'll be rated T although I may end up having it up before a month is up so June 22 should be okay (I'll refuse to do it on June 15 since that's the first day of SoDak and I want to go) for the story's debut. I don't have a summary up yet but that'll be produced before too long. Anyway, thanks everybody for sticking with me through the story and I hope to see you guys with "Unknown Bonds" so read and review!<p> 


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